Bungie Unveils Marathon Gameplay and Release Date
Bungie has officially revealed gameplay for its highly anticipated first-person extraction shooter, Marathon, during a showcase on Saturday. The game is set to launch on September 23 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X, with a closed alpha playtest scheduled for later this month. The showcase highlighted various elements, including characters, maps, and the game’s unique art style, generating excitement among fans.
Gameplay Insights and Features
Marathon will feature cross-play and cross-saves across Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms, allowing players to seamlessly transition between devices. During the gameplay reveal, Bungie provided an in-depth look at the game’s setting, which takes place on the ghost colony of Tau Ceti IV. In this team-based extraction shooter, players form squads of three known as “Runners,” competing against rival teams and AI enemies to secure better gear.
Runners are described as cybernetic mercenaries who have transformed their human forms into biosynthetic shells. Teams that successfully navigate their missions will retain their loot for future expeditions on Tau Ceti IV or while journeying to the derelict Marathon ship orbiting the planet. Bungie emphasized the game’s high-stakes environment, stating, “Death is part of the journey—it’s a cutthroat world, and it’s not possible to survive every expedition. But every time you make it out alive, you get to keep everything you scavenged, which means you’ll grow in power and fill your vault across matches,” as noted in a PlayStation Blog post.
Character Customization and Storytelling
Players will have the option to choose from six distinct Runners, each equipped with unique abilities and skill sets. As players progress through their runs, they can collect implants and other equipment to customize their Runner’s playstyle. For instance, the character Glitch focuses on agility and speed, allowing players to enhance this style by stacking upgrades that minimize heat build-up, enabling longer periods of movement without cooldowns.
Bungie also revealed that the narrative of Marathon will primarily rely on environmental storytelling. Players will be encouraged to explore the mysteries of Tau Ceti IV, uncovering clues and files stored on computer terminals throughout the game. “At the end of the day, our goal with Marathon is not to tell a story, but to build worlds in which stories can and will unfold,” said narrative leader Jonathon Goff, highlighting the immersive experience players can expect.
Upcoming Closed Alpha Playtest
In preparation for the game’s launch, Bungie has incorporated player feedback from earlier playtests and will conduct additional testing before the official release on September 23. “We’re beyond excited to invite more players into Marathon and to hear what they think,” said game director Joe Ziegler. He also hinted at more information to come in the following weeks and months, stating, “The journey is really just getting started.”
The closed alpha test is set to begin on April 23 and will run until May 4. Interested players can sign up for the first playtest via the game’s official Discord channel. The closed alpha will be available to players aged 18 and older, located in North America, as confirmed by Bungie.
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