Public Outcry Forces Marathon Postponement

Marathon has been postponed indefinitely following feedback from the Alpha playtest. Discover more about developer Bungie’s reasoning and the key areas the team will prioritize in the months ahead.

Marathon's Release Is No Longer Set for September 23

Alpha Playtest Feedback Influenced the Decision

Bungie's upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter Marathon faces an indefinite delay, prompted by the "passionate" player feedback gathered during its Alpha playtest. In a June 17 post on Bungie.net, the development team noted that they carefully evaluated every "comment and real-time discussion across social media and Discord."

This led to the decision to cancel the originally scheduled September 23 launch. Bungie explained, "The Alpha test enabled us to fine-tune and concentrate on the elements that will truly define Marathon—survival under pressure, hidden mysteries and lore at every turn, endgame challenges reminiscent of raids, and Bungie’s signature FPS combat."

The extra time will allow the studio to strengthen its team and build the strongest possible version of Marathon. It also opens the door for deeper engagement with the community, reinforcing the importance of player input.

Before Bungie’s announcement, Sony had shared Marathon’s release window for fiscal year 2025 rather than an exact date. This fueled rumors of a potential delay, which have now been confirmed. Some fans also point to accusations of plagiarism as another factor contributing to the setback.

Although Bungie plans to announce a new release date this fall, Sony’s most recent business presentation still lists the game for launch within the company’s fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2026.

Large-Scale Updates Planned in the Coming Months

Bungie has outlined its roadmap for the upcoming months, which includes ongoing closed testing with Alpha participants alongside regular updates and new features. The studio highlighted several focus areas, such as:

　●　Elevating the Survival Experience
　　●　More challenging and dynamic AI encounters
　　●　More rewarding runs, with new loot types and dynamic events
　　●　Tighter, more tactical combat
　　●　Deepening the Marathon Universe
　●　Improved Visual Quality
　　●　Additional narrative and environmental storytelling to uncover and engage with
　　●　A darker tone that honors the original trilogy’s themes
　●　Expanding Social Interactions
　　●　Better support for solo and duo players
　　●　Proximity chat to encourage emergent player stories

On Reddit, some fans voiced concerns about Bungie’s announcement, pointing out that the listed focus areas cover "almost every part of the game." One user described it as essentially a "soft reboot" given the extensive list of planned improvements.

Despite this, many expected Marathon to be delayed based on what has been shown so far. Fans are also questioning whether Fairgames—another upcoming Sony live-service title—will face similar challenges, especially following recent missteps with Concord.

Still, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hermen Hulst remains confident in the company’s live-service initiatives. At Sony’s Game & Network Service Fireside Chat on June 13, Hulst highlighted successful live-service titles such as MLB: The Show, Destiny 2, and Helldivers 2.

He expressed optimism that Marathon will benefit from lessons learned during Concord’s troubled launch and subsequent performance. Although delayed indefinitely, Marathon is scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. For the latest updates on the game, be sure to check our article below!