Bungie, the game company best known for making Halo and Destiny, is working on a new version of one of its oldest games: Marathon. This time, they’re doing things differently. Instead of a single-player story like the original game from the 1990s, the new Marathon is a fast-paced, online multiplayer game where players compete to collect loot and escape with it (akin to an extraction shooter like Tarkov). The game is expected to come out on September 23, 2025 and its been already confirmed by Bungie.

A Fresh Start for Bungie

In this new Marathon, you play as a "Runner", a type of high-tech mercenary with cybernetic parts. The game takes place on a planet called Tau Ceti IV, where a massive colony has mysteriously gone missing. Players enter the planet to search for valuable items, secrets, and resources while fighting other players and NPCs.

The game will focus on a type of play called “extraction shooter.” This means you enter a match, grab loot, and try to leave before you get killed. If you die, you lose what you collected. If you escape, you keep it. Each match lasts about 25 minutes. This helps with making sure that players don’t just hide out the entire time and the loot later.

This is very different from the old Marathon games, which were mostly about story and single-player missions. The new version focuses on competitive multiplayer and had plenty of people complaining about the change of direction for the series as they were hoping for a revival that's closer to the original.

Behind the Scenes: Changes at Bungie

While making Marathon, Bungie faced some tough times. In 2024, the company laid off about 17% of its employees. This affected many of their games, including Marathon. One major change was the switch in game directors. Joe Ziegler, who worked on Valorant at Riot Games, replaced Christopher Barrett as the lead for Marathon.

Even with those issues, Bungie is still putting a lot of time and money into the game. At one point, more than 300 people were working on it. The company sees Marathon as a long-term project, not just a one-time game. They plan to keep updating it with new content, stories, and seasons over the years. Many players see this as a way for Bungie to step away from Destiny and say that Destiny 3 was cancelled for Marathon to live as a project.

Testing the Waters: Playtests

To make sure the game is fun and well-balanced, Bungie is starting a series of playtests. The first test began on April 23, 2025. This test has four different Runner characters and two maps for players to try. Only a small group will be invited, but Bungie plans to do more and bigger tests as the release date gets closer. This test also doesn’t have an NDA, allowing people to stream and make videos as they like, in fact, if you open twitch, you can find plenty of streamers showing off the playtest.

They want players to give feedback so they can fix bugs, adjust the balance, and improve the experience. Later tests, possibly in the summer, will include more maps and features. Bungie hopes these tests will help them release a polished and exciting game in September.

What Fans Are Saying

The reaction from fans has been mixed. Some people are really excited about the return of Marathon. They like the idea of a competitive, sci-fi shooter with loot and strategy. Others, however, are disappointed that the new game won’t have a traditional single-player campaign like the original.

On Reddit and other gaming forums, some fans say Bungie is trying too hard to copy popular games like Escape from Tarkov or The Cycle: Frontier. They worry that the game won’t stand out. Still, there are players who trust Bungie to deliver something special, especially since the company is known for making fun shooters with great controls and strong world-building. It is clear however that Marathon will have to compete with a very well received new extraction game, Arc Raiders, which might make it very challenging for Bungie to compete.

Some longtime fans are also worried that the new game won’t feel like Marathon at all. The original was full of deep story and atmosphere, while this one is focused on online competition. Bungie says that even though it’s multiplayer, the new game will still have story elements just told in a different way through seasons, missions, and discoveries players make over time. However, it is very rare that players pay attention to these things in extraction shooters as the genre tends to attract the most competitive PVP players instead of the more casual audience that would normally play games for the story.

Story and Style: A Different Kind of Shooter

Even though it’s not a single-player game, Marathon will still tell a story. Bungie wants the world to grow and change over time. Players will learn more about the missing colonists and the planet by playing the game and following its updates. Choices players make can even affect how the story unfolds in future seasons.

To help introduce this world, Bungie made an animated short film that shows the life of a Runner. The video was directed by Alberto Mielgo, who won an Oscar and is known for his work on Love, Death & Robots (very similar to Black Mirror, you should definitely try it if you like the style). The short uses a bright, stylish art design and shows just how different the tone of Marathon is from other shooters. The team was inspired by strange and mysterious sci-fi movies, and they want the game to feel like a puzzle that players uncover over time.

The art style is another big difference. While Destiny had dark, gritty visuals, Marathon is colorful, clean, and futuristic. The bold colors help make characters and actions stand out during fights. Bungie says they wanted something fresh that looks different from other games in the same genre.

Competing in a Tough Market

The extraction shooter genre is getting crowded. More and more games are trying this style, and each one needs a unique idea to stand out. Bungie hopes that Marathon's mix of storytelling, fast shooting, and high-stakes gameplay will give it an edge.

Still, some fans are cautious. Bungie has made mistakes before with live service games like Destiny 2, including bugs, long waits between updates, and frustrating balance problems. Many players are wondering if Bungie has learned from those problems. If not, Marathon might struggle to keep players interested in the long run.

What’s Next

As the release date gets closer, Bungie has a lot to prove. The upcoming playtests will be a key part of that. If players enjoy the test builds and see that Bungie is listening to feedback, the game could build a strong following before launch.

Bungie is taking a big risk with Marathon. It’s not just a remake of an old game; it’s a whole new take on the idea. If they succeed, they could lead the way in a new kind of multiplayer shooter. If not, it might disappoint fans who were hoping for something more familiar.

One thing is clear: the gaming world is watching. Whether Marathon becomes a big hit or not, it will be one of the most talked-about games in 2025.