Marathon developer Bungie has outlined a series of changes for the extraction shooter, which aims to make the game more “approachable” and keep players engaged after numbers dwindled in the months since launch.
Kicking things off is the Nightfall overhaul in October that offers a refresh for progression, rewards, and the live experience. Following in December is the Symbiosis update that will implement the first permanent PvE experience, while the Perimeter will be expanded and players will receive a new shell, improved onboarding, and a social page. Finally in March 2027, Bungie is promising deeper progression, a refactored Cradle, extra narrative, new enemies, and a brand new zone.
“Marathon launched as a cutthroat, winner-takes-all PvEvP experience. We want to preserve that thrill for the players who enjoy it, while creating more ways for others to experience the world and find the level of challenge that works for them,” said the studio. The blog post went on to note that PvEvP will remain an “important part” of the Marathon experience, but will evolve as one point in a “connected set of survival experiences.” To that end, Bungie is moving to the following:
- Connected PvE, PvP, and PvEvP experiences
- Different levels of intensity and commitment
- Options for solo players and crews
- More approachable ways to enter and learn the game
- Experiences built around cooperation, competition, and high-risk survival
Bungie also touched on the setting of Tau Ceti VI, stating that it should “feel more alien and hostile” with greater connections between the game and the original Marathon trilogy. The world should “reward curiosity and risk-taking,” the studio added, with “more narrative that expands your understanding of the universe across repeated runs. To that end, Bungie is working on “more spectacular combatants” that have been designed to challenge how players work together.
Details on how Marathon is set to be revamped come as Bungie announced plans to win back the player trust, and will also involve returning to Destiny 2 and restoring content previously put into the vault.
Marathon is now available for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S. You can read our full review here.
[Source – Marathon]