Remember Marathon? It's the next big project from Destiny developer Bungie, and it seems we're on the cusp of getting a deeper look into this eagerly anticipated game.
Marathon is set to be a thrilling PvP-focused extraction shooter, taking place on the enigmatic planet of Tau Ceti IV. In this game, players step into the roles of Runners—cybernetic mercenaries engineered to withstand the planet's harsh conditions—as they explore the remnants of a lost colony.
It's been a while since we've had any updates on Marathon. Back in October, Bungie shared a comprehensive development update video that offered a glimpse into the game's mechanics. However, it was clear that Marathon was still in its early stages. At that time, the player character models were still being refined, and the enemy models were in their preliminary phase.
Fast forward six months, and it appears Bungie is gearing up for a significant reveal. A tweet from the official Marathon account hinted at this with a cryptic image and an accompanying distorted signal. Eagle-eyed fans noticed ASCII art reminiscent of footage from the initial Marathon trailer. Given Bungie's reputation for intricate teasers, hidden clues, and Easter eggs, there's likely more to uncover, and the community is already diving deep to decipher it all.Regardless, it seems that after a challenging development period, Marathon is finally moving forward.
pic.twitter.com/6NBgIdRVK2
— Marathon (@MarathonTheGame) April 4, 2025
Marathon was unveiled in May 2023 as a revival of the iconic Bungie franchise, embracing themes of mystery, eeriness, and psychological tension. However, Bungie has faced its share of controversies recently, notably the layoffs of 220 staff members in July 2024, representing 17% of its workforce. This move drew criticism even from industry peers.
This followed another round of 100 layoffs at Bungie less than a year prior, with staff describing the studio's atmosphere as "soul-crushing" to IGN.
More turmoil ensued when reports surfaced shortly after the 220 job cuts, alleging that former Marathon director Chris Barrett was terminated following an internal misconduct investigation at Bungie. Barrett then filed a lawsuit against Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bungie, seeking over $200 million in damages.
AnswerSee ResultsThese developments coincide with Sony's strategic reevaluation of its focus on live-service games. In November 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki announced the company's plan to launch only six out of the 12 live service games in development by March 2026. This shift in strategy also led to the cancellation of The Last of Us multiplayer game.While Arrowhead's Helldivers 2 became a smashing success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks and becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever, other Sony live service games faced cancellations or disastrous launches.
Sony's Concord, for instance, turned out to be one of the biggest flops in PlayStation history, surviving only a few weeks before being taken offline due to dismal player numbers. Eventually, Sony decided to terminate the game entirely and close its developer.
Additionally, earlier this year, Sony reportedly canceled two unannounced live service games: one a God of War project being developed by Bluepoint, and the other at Days Gone developer Bend.
