Bungie Delays Marathon Release, Focuses on Enhancements

Bungie announced on Tuesday that it’s delaying Marathon, its new extraction shooter, has been delayed from its original release date of September 23rd. The studio has not yet provided a new release date but has promised to share updates sometime this fall.

The studio outlined several “immediate focus areas” for the game. Bungie plans to enhance AI encounters to make them “more challenging and engaging” and aims to create a combat experience that is “more tense and strategic.” The company is also “doubling down on the Marathon Universe” by increasing “visual fidelity,” which includes adding “more narrative and environmental storytelling.” Additionally, the game will introduce a “darker tone that delivers on the themes of the original trilogy.” This decision may have been influenced by feedback from an artist who suggested that the company lifted her artwork without permission. Furthermore, Bungie intends to incorporate “more social experiences,” such as proximity chat, and improve gameplay for solo and duo players.

According to the announcement, “We’re using this time to empower the team to create the intense, high-stakes experience that a title like Marathon is built around. This means deepening the relationship between the developers and the game’s most important voices: our players.” This statement reflects Bungie’s commitment to player feedback and community engagement.

Bungie previously hosted tests for Marathon earlier this year, and reviews from those sessions indicated mixed responses were generally mid. With this delay, the gaming community will be watching closely to see if Bungie can implement the necessary improvements to avoid the pitfalls of previous titles big live-service misstep for Sony.