Bungie is overhauling Marathon from its original extraction shooter vision - Game Developer

Bungie says addressing player feedback requires the team to 'change both what we're building and how we deliver it,'

After experimenting with a casual player versus player-lite (PvP) mode in June, Bungie is implementing a permanent PvE mode to Marathon, its frantic shooter, later in the year. At the same time, this is one of the ways in which the studio is overhauling its original vision for the game, amidst ongoing changes and pressure on the team.

In an update shared yesterday, Bungie said that it's delaying a September 22 update to December 8. Among some additions and tweaks, the update will include a permanent PvE experience called Symbiosis. The studio is calling the mode "the first major step" in Marathon's next chapter.

"The update will introduce Marathon’s first permanent PvE experience, providing a new way to explore, progress, and engage with the world beyond traditional PvPvE extraction gameplay," the announcement reads. "Symbiosis is an important milestone for Marathon and the beginning of a broader evolution through March and beyond, shaped by what we learn from players along the way."

Related:Report: MindsEye developer Build a Rocket Boy seemingly closing after more layoffs

At the same time, Bungie is moving away from a "strict seasonal schedule," with the goal of giving the team more flexibility to build and test features before they're released. These type of overhauls for online games can be technically and logistically complex on the best of days.

"Since launch, you've told us Marathon needs more depth, more variety, stronger progression, and better reasons to keep playing over the long term. We agree. Addressing that feedback requires us to change both what we’re building and how we deliver it," Bungie says.

These changes come during a tumultuous time for Bungie. In late June, parent company Sony laid off at least 292 Bungie employees, officially presented as "most" of the Destiny team and "some" Marathon developers. The news came a month after Bungie announced it was ending live development on Destiny 2.

At the time, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hermen Hulst spoke about Marathon's place under PlayStation. "Marathon remains an important part of our portfolio, and we will continue to support the team as they build on the strong foundation established in Season 1 and 2, and as they work on incubation efforts for future projects," Hulst said. "While it's too early to discuss, we are encouraged by the creativity and opportunities that lie ahead."

Now, Bungie is talking about the current changes to the game as a reset of sorts. The team is set to release a blog detailing more about future plans later this month, in which it will share how the team will be evolving Marathon into a "more alien and dynamic" experience.

Related:Shinji Mikami to join AIAS Hall of Fame at 2026 DICE Awards

"Symbiosis will be a significant milestone for Marathon, introducing permanent PvE and several new ways to engage with the game," yesterday's update reads. "But it’s only the beginning of what we're working toward. As players spend time with these updates and share their feedback, we’ll continue refining and expanding Marathon."

Contributing Editor, News, GameDeveloper.com

Diego Nicolás Argüello is a freelance journalist and critic from Argentina. Video games helped him to learn English, so now he covers them for places like The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, and more. He also runs Into the Spine, a site dedicated to fostering and supporting new writers, and co-hosted Turnabout Breakdown, a podcast about the Ace Attorney series. He’s most likely playing a rhythm game as you read this.

Strategically making Star Wars Zero Company, ft. Greg Foertsch

GDC Side Quest - Inside Austin Wintory's Collaborative Composing Process

We're finally talking about AI, ft. David 'Rez' Graham and Luke Dicken

What devs need to know about localization, ft. Concha Fernandez Alvarez, Aurelie Perrin, and Guido Di Carlo