Bungie’s Marathon introduces big gameplay changes, new features, and a possible March 2026 release

Bungie’s upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon, has undergone major changes ever since its Closed Alpha Test earlier this year, where the developers addressed feedback from gamers, according to an exclusive report from The Game Post.

Ever since Marathon’s Closed Alpha Tests, Bungie has quietly conducted monthly playtests with increasing participant numbers. Closed Test 1 totaled 500 players, 1,700 in Test 2, and over 900 in Playtest 3 this month.

One of the most requested features by gamers was proximity chat, which is now fully operational. Combat and gunfights have seen an overhaul, with noticeably faster time-to-kill rates, allowing for more engaging firefights.

Healing mechanics have also seen some changes, with items like Patch Kits now providing a heal-over-time effect, contrary to instant health recovery, while Shields are applied immediately. 

A new environmental hazard is also making its way to the game called “Heat Cascade,” which rains sparks from overhead ships, chipping away at players’ health and filling up a heat meter that players have to manage during extraction runs.

Another gripe in Marathon’s Closed Alpha Test was the way player deaths were handled. Now, fallen bodies persist on the ground for a longer period instead of instantly materializing into green mist. Downed players now bleed blue blood, leaving trails of it as they crawl toward revives. Upon dying, players leave behind a duffel bag for securing loot.

The Game Post also revealed a new “Codex” system, which functions similarly to Destiny 2’s Triumphs, where players can complete simple objectives like “Kill 5 enemies on a map with a certain weapon type” to earn extra rewards, with unlockable rewards being displayed under in-game IDs. Furthermore, an in-game shooting range is being added for practice.

The endgame map “Cryo Archive” on the UESC Marathon vessel offers players unique twists, showcasing just a fraction of what the ship holds for future seasonal expansions when the game launches.

The UESC ship is divided into seven areas, including Cargo, Index, Revival, Preservation, Biostock, Steerage, and the central Cryohub. This map features a modified permadeath system allowing teammates to revive downed friends, but no respawns if they are killed.

Extraction requires players to activate a terminal in the Control room to spawn a random point, followed by a three-minute window to reach the exfil destination.

Further improvements include a UI overhaul with cleaner menus and removal of placeholders, while audio has been improved dramatically. Now, the outskirts of the maps feature denser foliage, improved lighting, and substantially improved shader work, with sources calling it a “night and day” difference compared to the Closed Alpha. However, matchmaking still sticks to trios as the core mode remains without dedicated solo queueing.

Sony has stated that Marathon is building toward an “optimal chance of success” by March 2026, with Bungie confirming a new release date reveal, though speculation suggests that the game could release around March 31, 2026.

As per reports, Marathon is coming to a potential PlayStation State of Play event in the near future in hopes of restoring confidence in the game.