Bungie’s long-awaited Marathon gameplay reveal is happening April 12. Here’s everything you need to know about the stylish PvP extraction shooter, its troubled development, new direction, and what might be announced during the livestream.
After months of teasers, cryptic ARG puzzles, and speculation, Bungie is finally set to unveil gameplay footage for its upcoming PvP extraction shooter Marathon. The livestream of the reveal will take place on Saturday, April 12th, at 10 AM PT via the official Marathon Twitch channel. This marks the first proper look at gameplay since the game’s initial announcement in May 2023.
Marathon is a revival of Bungie’s classic 1990s sci-fi franchise, but this iteration isn’t a direct sequel. Instead, it’s a stylish, competitive extraction shooter set on the mysterious planet Tau Ceti IV. Players take on the role of Runners—cybernetic mercenaries designed to survive the planet’s hostile environment—exploring a long-lost colony in search of valuable loot, weapons, and gear.
Bungie promises evolving, persistent zones and hero-shooter-style gameplay elements. Runners will feature unique abilities, and characters with codenames like “Thief” and “Stealth” have already been teased. A mysterious teaser released last week featured a high-energy chase through a jungle and a curious robotic pink cat, sparking fan speculation and excitement across social media.
The reveal date itself was unlocked through an elaborate Alternate Reality Game (ARG) involving ASCII art and sleuthing from thousands of players worldwide, adding to the growing buzz around the title.
Despite the excitement, Marathon has experienced its share of turbulence. In late 2023, Joe Ziegler, formerly of Valorant, stepped in as game director following the departure of Chris Barrett. Barrett was let go after an internal misconduct investigation and is currently suing Bungie and Sony Interactive Entertainment for over $200 million. The studio also underwent multiple rounds of layoffs in 2024, letting go of over 300 employees, raising concerns about its stability and future.
Meanwhile, Bungie has kept quiet on key details like a release window or monetization model. Though previous reports suggested Marathon might launch at $40 rather than as a free-to-play title, nothing has been confirmed. However, recent backend updates on Steam hint at potential pre-orders, suggesting the launch could be closer than expected.
Sony’s shifting approach to live-service titles, following the cancellation of The Last of Us multiplayer game and other internal changes, adds further intrigue to Marathon’s development journey. Bungie remains one of the few studios still pushing ahead in the genre.
As fans prepare for the upcoming livestream, many hope to finally get clarity on the gameplay loop, hero abilities, and possibly a closed beta announcement. For now, all eyes are on April 12, when Bungie will show if Marathon can live up to its legacy and offer a fresh take on the extraction shooter genre.
