Bungie To Unveil First Gameplay For New Extraction Shooter Marathon

Bungie—the developer behind popular titles like Halo and Destiny 2—is gearing up to showcase its highly anticipated sci-fi extraction shooter, Marathon, with a gameplay reveal event scheduled for April 12. This marks a major milestone for the project, which has been shrouded in mystery since its announcement in May 2023.

Marathon is a reboot of Bungie’s 1990s trilogy of the same name, reimagined as a PvP extraction shooter—a genre popularized by titles like Escape from Tarkov. Set on the desolate planet of Tau Ceti IV, players will embody “Runners,” cybernetic mercenaries tasked with scavenging artifacts, weapons, and loot while fending off rival players and environmental threats.

Unlike its single-player predecessor, though, this iteration emphasizes intense, high-stakes multiplayer action, with persistent zones that evolve based on player interactions. Bungie has promised cross-play, cross-save functionality, and dedicated servers to ensure a seamless experience across platforms, including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

The road to this reveal has been rather turbulent. After a year of silence following its initial teaser, Marathon faced internal challenges, including a directorial shift from longtime Bungie veteran Chris Barrett to Joe Ziegler (formerly of Riot Games’ VALORANT). Ziegler, who took the helm in 2024, recently assured fans that development is “on track,” with expanded playtests planned for later this year.

The April 12 event, streaming live on Twitch at 10:00 AM PT, will offer the first in-game look at Marathon, spotlighting its class-based “Runner” system and dynamic world. However, fan anticipation is tempered by skepticism. With the extraction shooter market growing crowded and recent live-service flops like Sony’s Concord, some question whether Marathon can stand out.