Marathon Xbox Playstation PC Gaming

[David76]

Bungie has just announced that their highly anticipated game, Marathon, will no longer be releasing on September 23rd as originally planned. In a recent update on their official website, the decision to delay the game was made after the team gathered feedback from closed alpha testing and community discussions on social media platforms like Discord.

The developers shared, "We know we need more time to craft Marathon into the game that truly reflects your passion. After much discussion within our Dev team, we've made the decision to delay the September 23rd release."

While a new release date hasn't been specified yet, Bungie has indicated that they will announce it this Fall. In the meantime, the team is focusing on enhancing the gameplay experience based on player feedback. Key improvements include:

• Enhancing rewards from gameplay runs
• Introducing new types of loot
• Adding dynamic events
• Creating more tense and strategic combat scenarios, along with challenging AI encounters
• Increasing visual fidelity and adopting a darker tone that reflects the original trilogy's themes
• Improving experiences for solo and duo players
• Implementing proximity chat for better communication

Marathon is set to launch on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. However, it's worth noting that Bungie has faced some controversy recently, particularly regarding an ex-employee's use of an independent artist's assets without permission, which reportedly affected morale within the studio. There are rumours of a roadmap for public playtests being developed, so we should keep an eye out for future updates.

 

[David76]

Recently, 20 minutes of gameplay footage from the closed alpha phase of Bungie's upcoming game, Marathon, has surfaced online. These clips come from testing sessions held in October and December. While the quality of the footage is low and doesn't reflect the final product, they offer a glimpse into the game's mechanics and environments that fans might find intriguing.



In Marathon, players will navigate through desolate research labs, rugged terrains, and fortified outposts left by a lost expedition, scavenging for valuable loot. The game features six distinct Runner classes, each allowing for unique playstyles. This customisation extends into an array of moddable weapons, body implants, and system upgrades, enabling players to create diverse builds and strategies.

The game will support both solo and squad modes, allowing players to team up in groups of up to four. Alternatively, players can choose the Rook class, starting with no gear and forming alliances through proximity chat to tackle shared challenges. As the game progresses, players can participate in a Rated mode to test their skills further.

A notable aspect of the endgame involves the Cryo Archive, where players must solve complex security challenges to access valuable artefacts while competing against other fully-geared crews. The ultimate goal is to breach the seventh vault, confronting a formidable entity.

The pricing for Marathon is set at £34.99 / $39.99. Importantly, Bungie assures players that there will be no pay-to-win mechanics, and all gameplay updates will be available for free. Crossplay and cross-save functionality will also be included, enabling a seamless experience across platforms.

Marathon is set to launch in March 2026, although the PC system requirements have yet to be announced. For those looking forward to this title, the leaked footage may provide a tantalising taste of what's to come.

 

[David76]

Bungie has unveiled the official PC requirements for its upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon, set to release on March 5, 2026. This exciting title will immerse players in the exploration of abandoned research labs, rugged terrains, and outposts left by a lost expedition, all while scavenging for valuable loot.

In Marathon, players will choose from six different Runner classes, each tailored for unique playstyles. The game encourages teamwork, allowing players to strategise and optimise their squads of up to four players, or embark on solo missions as Rook, a lone scavenger without initial gear.

Players can expect diverse gameplay elements, including the ability to customise weapons, body implants, and system upgrades to create a variety of builds. The endgame content will challenge players to breach the Cryo Archive, facing off against fully-geared enemy crews to claim valuable artefacts.

Official PC Requirements:

Minimum:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and OS
• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-6600 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT / Intel Arc A580
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection

Recommended:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and OS
• OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-10400 / AMD Ryzen 5 3500
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 2060 / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT / Intel Arc A770
• DirectX: Version 12
• Network: Broadband Internet connection

While the exact framerate, resolution, and graphics settings for these specs remain undisclosed, the anticipation for Marathon continues to build. For a glimpse of what's to come, check out the newly released trailer linked below.

 

[David76]

Bungie has made a triumphant return with its latest release, Marathon, which brings players back to the iconic Marathon universe after decades.

The premise revolves around survival and strategic gameplay. Players take on the role of bio-cybernetic mercenaries known as Runners, each with unique abilities tailored to different playstyles. The game encourages a mix of PvP and PvE combat, allowing for dynamic interactions, including the potential for alliances and betrayals. This aspect adds a layer of strategy, as players must decide when to cooperate and when to turn on each other to secure their loot and escape.

As players explore the ruins of a once-thriving colony, they uncover the mystery surrounding the disappearance of its inhabitants. The narrative unfolds through encounters in various zones, leading to the orbiting UESC Marathon, where high-risk challenges await.

It's not just a game; it's an exploration of trust, strategy, and survival in a beautifully crafted universe that challenges players to think critically and act decisively.

 

[David76]

The latest mid-season update for Marathon could be a real game-changer, to say the least.

Bungie has rolled out a bunch of changes that are shaking things up quite a bit. First off, they've introduced this protocol called C.A.R.R.I, which rewards players for helping each other out. If you assist someone with contracts or extract alongside them, you can earn commendations. It's a nice touch, as it encourages teamwork, especially in a game known for its ruthless competition.

Weapon Adjustments
There's been a nerf to thermal scopes, which many players have found to be overpowered. They've reduced the thermal range by 20m, and you can't loot them at the deluxe rarity anymore. Plus, if you've been relying on Claymore drones for quick kills, you'll need to rethink your strategy. You can now only attach one claymore to a drone at a time, which should make encounters a bit less chaotic.

New Loot and Cosmetics
There are 11 new unique blue weapon drops added to Perimeter and Dire Marsh. This is perfect for mid-game players looking to strengthen their arsenal before tackling tougher challenges. And for those who enjoy a bit of flair, Arachne-themed shell cosmetics are now available. Time to show off those new looks while you're out on the field!

Solo Player Enhancements
For solo players, there are new depleted self-revive kits that automatically sell upon exfiltration. Plus, there's a mercy kit that allows you to revive downed players, which could be a game-changer for those playing alone.

This update is quite significant and aims to address a lot of player feedback. It'll be interesting to see if these collaborative changes actually encourage a friendlier atmosphere in a game that's often been quite cutthroat. Hopefully, these adjustments keep the community engaged in a game that had a hefty production budget.

Spoiler: Marathon Update 1.0.6

Some missed additions for our 1.0.6. patch notes:

• Refreshed icons for cores, implants, and chips to add visual clarity.
• Signal Jammers are now purchasable from the Armoury.
• Added a new "toggle to open" voice chat option, so players can turn Proximity Chat and Team Chat open with one press and close it with another.

General​

• ONI has launched the C.A.R.R.I. or CyberAcme Runner Reinforcement Initiative, a new protocol that rewards both solo Runners and coordinated Crews for completing contract objectives and exfiling together.
  • CyberAcme Commendations are a new material earned by helping crewmates complete contract objectives, completing contract objectives as a solo Runner, or successfully exfiling as a Rook. Extra commendations can be earned when you exfil with other players outside of your Crew. Play nice, now.
• Added Stay Together, a new end-of-run experimental feature that allows you to stay with the Runners you just successfully exfiled with by creating a new Crew with them. Who said you can't make friends on Tau Ceti?
  • Only one crewmate needs to successfully exfil for Stay Together to be available – if you're eliminated, stay connected!
• Added the capability to access the Rewards Pass from the top left display of SILK.
• We want to increase the value of the Rewards Pass, both the Free and Premium tracks. As a result, we are adding four new Runner Shell styles, a WSTR Shotgun style, and a profile emblem to the Season 1 Rewards Pass:
  • Premium Track: Thief, Assassin, Destroyer
  • Free Track: Recon, WSTR Shotgun, Profile Emblem
• Fixed an issue where the rank up rewards tutorial could be out of sequence.
• Disciples of Arachne earnable shell styles are now available in the Codex.
• Updated the Perimeter (Beginner) new player map to now be a solos-only map that remains available to players until Seasonal Level 12.
  • The Perimeter (Beginner) map presents a reduced risk of encountering other Runners.
• Added five new contracts for the Perimeter (Beginner) map.
  • New and existing players under Seasonal Level 12 will also have access to new optional CyberAcme contracts tailored for the beginner experience to help with their first steps in Marathon.
  • To help players understand the mechanics around the Perimeter Beginner contracts, these new contracts can only be progressed while in Perimeter Beginner or Perimeter Solo Runs.
  • These contracts are no longer accessible after reaching Seasonal Level 12 and will be removed even if decrypted or active.
• When the final exfil is active and less than 10 seconds are remaining, the timer for other exfils will be reduced to match the remaining session timer. Tie goes to the Runner, after all.
  • Developer Note: Previously, the 10-second countdown for non-final exfils was being overwritten by the final exfil timer. Because the difference was only a few seconds, players would see the exfil animation and believe they successfully exfiltrated only to discover they did not in the Run Report. We think this change will result in last-second exfils feeling more "fair".

Progression​

• Increased runner level and faction reputation earning for solo players.
• Increased standard contract faction reputation rewards for all players.

Armory​

• The C.A.R.R.I. Armoury allows you to spend CyberAcme Commendations for Salvage Crates that grant a random stack of Salvage items or Reputation Packs that provide reputation for their associated faction. Salvage Crate and Sponsored Kit stock refreshes daily while other C.A.R.R.I. offers do not refresh and can only be purchased once.

Codex​

• Pacesetter Codex challenges focus on collaborative objectives and award the new Pacesetter title. These challenges are a permanent addition and can be completed in future seasons.
• Fixed an issue where the "Up here!" Vandal challenge would not complete at certain kill distances.
• Fixed an issue where the "Safe!" Vandal challenge would not complete under certain circumstances.
• Fixed an issue where the "Life Taker" Thief challenge description did not specify the correct requirements.
• Fixed an issue where the "Trifecta" Recon challenge wouldn't not properly handle both downing and eliminating a runner.
• Fixed an issue where the "Where there's smoke" Destroyer challenge was not completing under certain circumstances.
• Fixed an issue with the Compiler lore image not being displayed.
• Fixed an issue with the Cryo Archive collectible lore images not being displayed.
• Fixed an issue where the "Requiem for a Cyborg" codex challenge name was being displayed instead of "Requiem for a Compiler".

Contracts​

• Players are no longer prevented from claiming completed contracts in the lobby if they've selected Rook.
• Fixed multiple bugs where contract progress was being prevented or not properly sharing progress across crew members.

Combat​

• Slightly improved audio clarity of enemy footsteps at close and mid range.
• Players are now more resistant to fall damage while downed.
• Fixed an issue where the player reticle could swing wildly after a finisher if the player continued to provide look input during the finisher animation.

Weapons​

Weapon Rewards

• Added 11 new Deluxe (Blue rarity) Unique weapons
  • These can drop from Showcase encounters in Perimeter and Dire Marsh. Can you collect them all?
  • Developer Note: These Deluxe Uniques follow a similar paradigm as the Prestige Uniques found in Cryo Archive Locked Rooms but are at a power appropriate for a Deluxe weapon. This means each Deluxe Unique comes with a specially designed sweetener that can only be found on that Unique version of the weapon. Happy hunting!
  • For example: The DRRVISH Prestige Submachine Gun found in Cryo Archive has a custom-made mod for the BRRT SMG which increases stability, handling, and accuracy when firing from the hip. It additionally has the unique trait Hypertemporal Shot that fires all 5 rounds of the burst at once in a tight spread.

Weapon Ammo

• Fixed an issue where Volt Cell weapons were not generating heat on impact with enemies.

Railguns

• All Railguns will now no longer auto-fire when the maximum charge time has been met. Also, charged Railguns can now be held indefinitely.
  • Developer Note: We believe making this behavior change to all Railguns will make them a more competitive option as a mid-to-long range archetype. We expect players to be able to use them more effectively when peeking against longer range options now that you don't have to stand out in the open to get a fully charged shot off. As always, we'll monitor the feedback and see if Railguns will need additional tuning to be successful in their range profile.
• V00 Zeus RG
  • Increased max aim assist cone size by ~20%. Also, the aim assist cone now grows during charge-up instead of shrinking during charge-up.
  • Increased base magazine size from 2 shots to 5 shots.
  • Reduced max magazine size from 20 shots to 15 shots.
  • Reduced base charge time from 1.1 seconds to 1 second.
  • V00 Zeus RG Prestige Mod: Overclocked Generator
    • Magazine size is now doubled by this Prestige mod so the double-shot will not reduce the total number of trigger pulls per magazine. This fixes split shots on odd-numbered magazine sizes.
• Ares RG
  • Reduced base charge time from 2 seconds to 1.25 seconds.
  • Increased magazine size at all stat tiers:
    • Base magazine size increased from 4 shots to 6 shots.
    • Max magazine size increased from 10 shots to 12 shots.
  • Slightly increased aim assist cone scale during overcharging by ~10%.

SMGs

• Copperhead RF
  • Increased base magazine size from 21 shots to 28 shots.
    • Max magazine size remains unchanged.
  • Slightly increased base accuracy and effective range from 15m to 16.2m.
  • Increased minimum damage at maximum damage falloff range from 30% to 50%.
  • Slightly decreased initial error cone size while in ADS by ~8.5%.
• BRRT SMG
  • Increased minimum damage at maximum falloff range from 30% to 50%.
• Bully SMG
  • Decreased aim assist and magnetism range falloff:
    • Base aim assist falloff start decreased from 13m to 12m.
    • Base aim assist falloff end decreased from 24.2m to 22.5m.
    • Base magnetism falloff start decreased from 30m to 27.8m.
    • Base magnetism falloff end decreased from 37.1m to 34.5m.
    • Max aim assist falloff start decreased from 40m to 37.2m.
    • Max aim assist falloff end decreased from 80m to 74.4m.
    • Max magnetism falloff start decreased from 93m to 86.4m.
    • Max magnetism falloff end decreased from 101m to 93.9m.
  • Increased error cone size by 7.5%.

Snipers

• Longshot
  • Decreased accuracy when firing rapidly to better reward more methodically paced shots.
  • Decreased rate of fire from 90rpm to 60rpm.
  • Fixed a bug that allowed the Kingmaker Mag Prestige mod to trigger when shooting teammates.
• Outland
  • Decreased rate of fire from 43rpm to 39rpm.

Rifles

• M77 Assault Rifle
  • Fixed an issue where the Interval Mag Prestige mod would potentially increase the rate of fire of other weapons.
• V75 SCAR
  • Changed the timing of when the magazine is considered loaded to better match other Volt weapons. This should give players a little earlier of a window to sprint or fire, cancelling out of the reload animation.

Pistols

• V11 Punch
  • Fixed an issue where the RPM was displaying an incorrect value.

Precision Rifles

• Stryder M1T
  • Fixed an issue where the Vital Intel Prestige mod was activating its audio effect despite the mod not being equipped.
  • Fixed an issue where the Vital Intel Prestige mod's audio effect did not benefit from the increased distance of the Prestige Unique Fist of Phobos variant.

Biotoxic Disinjector

• Fixed an issue where the reload animation did not have controller rumble.
• Fixed an issue that prevented the grenade projectiles from setting off toxic plant hazard.
• Increased ammo per Beam from 6 to 8 per tick.
• Increased ammo per Grenade from 33 to 37.
• Reduced Grenade rate of fire from 0.76 to 0.52.
• Reduced Grenade travel speed from 42 meters per second to 34.
• Reduced the minimum Grenade damage from 5 to 3.
• Reduced damage from Grenade when stuck to an enemy from 90 to 65.
• Reduced max damage radius of the Grenade by 50%
• Increased the rate of damage falloff from the Grenade detonation.
• Increased arming duration of the Grenade from 0.9 seconds to 1.3.
• Enabled self-damage on Grenades.
  • Developer's Note: Stay safe out there.

Weapon Mods

• Chips
  • Added three new families of Weapon Chips across all rarities:
    • Common Enemy: Damaging enemy combatants causes them to take increased damage from allied or enemy Runners for a short duration.
    • Pocket Change: Reloading quickly after a kill or down drops ammo of this weapon's type.
    • Exit Buddy: Downing or killing an enemy grants you and nearby allies increased movement speed with equipped weapons for a short duration.
• Circuit Tracers
  • Increased cooldown from 0.5 seconds to 1 second.
  • Reduced ammo refund by 5% at the Standard tier and by up to 40% at the Superior tier.
• Opportunist
  • Fixed an issue that allowed the effect to activate from friendly fire.
• Alternating Current
  • Fixed an issue that allowed the effect to activate from friendly fire.
• Mini-Jammer
  • Fixed an issue where the Mini-Jammer effect was not granting the full benefits of Signal Jammer.
• Optics
  • Thermals
    • Removed all Deluxe rarity thermal optics across all weapon archetypes from the loot tables and they can no longer drop.
    • Superior SP Scope III sniper optics now decreases aim assist and range stats in addition to the ADS speed penalties.
    • Decreased Superior SP Scope III sniper optics thermal highlight range from 100m to 80m.
  • Variable Zoom Optics
    • Fixed an issue where these optics were reporting an incorrect aim assist cone.

Equipment​

• Added Depleted Self-Revive kits that spawn during solo play only.
  • These cannot be extracted from a solo run and will be auto-sold, same as other Depleted items you may find in a run.
• Added the Mercy Kit which allows you to revive downed enemy Runners. Eliminated enemy Runners cannot be revived with a Mercy Kit.
  • All Rooks now spawn with a Mercy Kit by default.
  • Developer Note: We wanted the new Mercy Kit to provide ways for players to bring back enemy players without spending a self-revive. Sometimes the de-escalation happens after the fight is over, we get it. Now you can make up for that quick trigger finger.
• Claymores
  • Improved enemy detection when placed near ledges or ground clutter.
  • Fixed an issue where players in full cover near a doorway would still take damage from a claymore detonation.
• Self-Revive
  • Increased rarity from Deluxe to Superior.

Implants

• Added five new implant perks that can drop across various activities:
  • Group Therapy: Using a medical item grants you and nearby allies a stacking bonus to your Self-Repair Speed for a short time.
  • Herd Immunity: Defeating hostiles grants you and nearby allies a stacking bonus to Hardware and Firewall stats for a short time.
  • Fight Club: Striking hostiles with a melee or knife attack grants you and nearby allies a stacking bonus to Melee Damage for a short time.
  • Divebomb: When you damage an enemy with explosives, you and nearby allies gain a large temporary boost to Agility.
  • Evasive Maneuvers: When your shields break, you and nearby allies gain increased sprint speed and Heat Capacity for a short time.
• Saviour Complex now provides a smaller Revive Speed benefit while playing solo. Previously, it provided no benefit outside a Crew.
• Increased the Heat Capacity stat bonus of Distance Runner from 5/10/25/50 to 10/20/30/50 across Standard/Enhanced/Deluxe/Superior rarity tiers.
• Fixed an issue where Heat Capacity could incorrectly display as 0 in the Loadout when specific implant combinations were equipped. This was a visual bug only and actual stats were not affected.

Cores

• Assassin's Patience core now also requires you to be crouched to receive the timer pause benefit. This reduces accidental heat buildup from unintended activations.
• Reduced resistance to incoming damage from enemy players provided to your Pickpocket Drone by Thief's Premium Package core.
• Fixed an issue where Vandal's Low Profile core could reduce the duration of a Signal Jammer activated with the Enzyme Suppressants implant perk equipped and could grant an unintendedly long Signal Jammer duration when sliding.

Shells​

Recon​

Echo Pulse

• Reduced the visibility of enemy Echo Pulse waves as they travel away from the activating Recon.
• Echo Pulse pings now distinguish between enemy Runner and enemy UESC targets.
• Signal Jammer no longer completely blocks Echo Pulse pings. Signal Jammed players now display the UESC ping navpoint instead of the Runner navpoint when hit by Echo Pulse.

Tracker Drone

• Improved Tracker Drone tracking strength and turn rate.
• Reduced Tracker Drone travel speed while it has no active target to help prevent it from overshooting tight corners that a target may be behind.
• Tracker Drone now periodically reevaluates its tracking target. If it can no longer reach its original target, it will attempt to find a new one.

Destroyer​

Thruster

• Increased Thruster heat cost by approximately 9% to better account for its strong mobility and combat power.

Riot Barricade

• Fixed an issue where Riot Barricade could be rapidly activated and deactivated without costing ability energy, allowing players to peek corners.

Thief​

Pickpocket Drone

• Each Pickpocket Drone can now accept a maximum of one Claymore attachment.
• Increased Pickpocket Drone thruster audio volume to make active Pickpocket Drones easier to track.
• Reduced Pickpocket Drone descent acceleration to more closely match ascent, making its movement feel more predictable.
• Reduced the distance of the Pickpocket Drone rarity highlight on targets from 50m to 35m.
• Reduced Pickpocket Drone base health from 70 to 60.

Triage​

Med-Drone

• Fixed an issue where Med-Drones could track to and attempt to attach to allied Pickpocket Drones, adorable as that might have been.
• Fixed an issue where Med-Drones would sometimes not use the correct cosmetic color scheme based on the Triage's equipped cosmetics.

Vandal​

Amplify

• Reduced Amplify base cooldown from 180 seconds to 150 seconds.

Rook​

Signal Mask

• Fixed an issue where swapping shield implants could cause Signal Mask to flicker.

Zones​

Dire Marsh​

• Players standing in the location of the UESC Security Cache that spawns when Lockdown is started will now be pushed aside instead of through the floor.
• Fixed issues preventing Rooks from being able to locate, stabilize, and then extract with Anomalous Samples.

Outpost​

• Added more potential spawn locations for the Conveyance Request for the elevator into the Drone Wing.
• Restored the audio for the exhibit in Orientation.
• Fixed an issue where players could get out of bounds in Dormitories.
• Fixed an issue where the toxin debuff applied by the Unsanctioned Hostilities 4/5 contract couldn't be cleared.

 

[David76]

Bungie has big plans for evolving the game's story over the next few years. Creative director Julia Nardin recently hinted at this during an interview, which has got fans buzzing with excitement!

It seems Bungie isn't planning to leave Marathon in the dust anytime soon. They've laid out some intentions to expand on the game's narrative, which is quite reassuring for fans who are eager to see how the story unfolds. Here are a few key points from what was shared:

• Bungie is committed to developing Marathon's story for at least the next few years.
• Creative director Julia Nardin has teased potential directions for the game.
• However, she mentioned that nothing is completely "locked in" just yet, leaving some room for flexibility.

The idea that the story will continue to evolve is pretty intriguing. It opens up possibilities for new characters, plotlines, and perhaps even gameplay mechanics that could enhance the experience. Given Bungie's history with rich narratives in games like Halo, there's a lot of potential for Marathon to deliver something special.