Marathon: Bungie’s Sci‑Fi Extraction Shooter Lands in March 2026
Dive into Bungie’s new sci‑fi extraction shooter, Marathon, where Runners battle across Tau Ceti IV to secure loot, complete high‑stakes objectives, and escape alive ahead of its March 2026 launch.
Marathon is Bungie’s return to its classic sci-fi universe, now reborn as a tense multiplayer extraction shooter set to launch in March 2026 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
The official pre-order trailer for Marathon
A Dark Sci‑Fi Hunt on Tau Ceti IV
Marathon takes place on Tau Ceti IV, a lost human colony that has become a chaotic playground for fortune hunters and corporate forces. You play as a bio‑cybernetic Runner, diving into dangerous zones to scavenge high‑value loot while battling rival teams and UESC security units. The tone leans into dark, high‑tech sci‑fi: derelict habitats, anomaly‑scarred marshes, and militarized outposts form the backdrop for every raid.
Teams of up to three players drop into large, evolving maps filled with AI enemies, environmental hazards, and competing Runners, with around six squads (18 players) active in a match. Every incursion is designed to tell its own emergent story as alliances, ambushes, and last‑second escapes play out under constant pressure.
Core Gameplay and Runner Shells
Marathon is a multiplayer‑only, PvPvE extraction shooter, so the focus is on surviving, not just racking up kills. A typical run sees you deploy into one of several surface zones—Perimeter, Dire Marsh, or Outpost—then push deeper in search of loot, contracts, and objectives before making a risky dash to an extraction point. If you die along the way, everything you brought and everything you found in that match is gone.
Your character is defined by a customizable Runner shell, each tuned toward an archetype like combat, intel, mobility, or support. Shell‑specific Cores, universal Implants, weapon mods, and tactical gear let you lean into different playstyles, from aggressive frontline brawler to information‑gathering scout. Bungie’s goal is to give players “tons of strategic choices,” both in their loadouts and in how they approach the map, entrances, and exfil routes.
Objectives and How You “Win”
In Marathon, a successful match is defined by what you manage to extract with, not by a scoreboard at the end. Your primary objective is to enter a zone, gather valuable loot or complete contracts, and then reach a designated extraction zone to escape alive. Matches are built to escalate over time, often funneling surviving teams toward limited exfil points for tense final showdowns.
Beyond baseline survival, there are layered objectives that change how each run feels. You might prioritize high‑risk areas for rare gear, chase specific artifacts behind raid‑like security systems, or hunt other Runners for their hard‑earned loot. Progression is tied to what you successfully bring back: gear, resources, and upgrades that can be reinvested into your Runner shell for future incursions.
Release Date, Platforms, and Price
After an originally planned September 23, 2025 launch and a subsequent delay following critical alpha feedback, Marathon is now slated to release in March 2026. Bungie has confirmed a March 5, 2026 date, and the game is coming to PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X|S with a $39.99 price point in the United States.
Post‑launch, Bungie is planning seasonal updates that introduce new maps, Runner shells, and end‑game challenges like the Cryo Archive aboard the UESC Marathon itself. For players who love high‑stakes firefights, deep buildcrafting, and squad‑based tactics, Marathon is shaping up to be one of 2026’s most intriguing competitive shooters.