Bungie's 'Extraction Shooter' Back on Track After Yearlong Hiatus

Bungie's Marathon: A Sci-Fi Extraction Shooter Back on Track After a Year of Silence

Bungie's highly anticipated sci-fi extraction shooter, Marathon, has resurfaced after over a year of radio silence. Initially announced at the May 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game, a revival of Bungie's pre-Halo legacy, generated significant excitement but was quickly followed by a lack of updates. This changed recently with a much-awaited developer update from Game Director Joe Ziegler.

Ziegler confirmed that Marathon, described as Bungie's take on the extraction shooter genre, is progressing well. While gameplay footage remains unavailable, he assured fans the game is "on track," undergoing significant revisions based on extensive player testing. He teased a class-based system featuring customizable "Runners," each with unique abilities, showcasing examples like "Thief" and "Stealth" – names hinting at their gameplay styles.

While a release date is still distant, Ziegler announced plans for expanded playtests in 2025, aiming to significantly increase player participation in upcoming milestones. He encouraged fans to wishlist the game on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation to signal interest and facilitate future communication.

Marathon’s Development Journey and Leadership Change

The game represents Bungie's first major project outside the Destiny franchise in over a decade and serves as a reimagining of their 1990s Marathon trilogy. It's described as a PvP-focused experience, eschewing a single-player campaign in favor of player-driven narratives integrated with the overarching storyline. Set on Tau Ceti IV, players, as Runners, compete for valuable alien artifacts and loot, either solo or in teams of three, facing off against rival crews or time-sensitive extractions.

The development journey hasn't been without its challenges. A leadership change saw Chris Barrett, the original project lead, replaced by Joe Ziegler (formerly of Riot Games' Valorant) following reported misconduct allegations. Furthermore, Bungie's recent workforce reductions have undoubtedly impacted development timelines.

Despite these setbacks, Ziegler's update offers a degree of reassurance. While a concrete release date remains elusive, the promise of expanded playtests in 2025 and the confirmation of cross-play and cross-save functionality across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S provide a glimmer of hope for fans eagerly anticipating Bungie’s return to its roots. The game is slated for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S with confirmed cross-play and cross-save capabilities.