Key Highlights:
- Bungie is all set to release Marathon in March 2026.
- The game was previously delayed for pre-release polishing, amidst concerns of plagiarism.
- Bungie might be able to make a compelling product, but whether it shall be able to succeed remains an entirely different matter.
Marathon, Bungie’s currently ongoing multiplayer extraction shooter, recently had its release date announced to the public. The now release date of March 2026 is a result of multiple delays amid plagiarism controversies, middling response from playtesters and more.
Taking all of this into consideration, it does paint a rather grim picture for Bungie (and Sony’s) upcoming live service title, even more so than usual. That being said, Bungie has been hard at work here, and there still is a very good chance that Marathon won’t bomb at release.
Bungie’s Marathon Set to Release in March 2026
As mentioned by Bungie in the official ‘Visions of Marathon’ blog post (hosted on their website), Marathon is slated to be releasing some time in March next year, with a targeted retail price of $39.99 (or €39.99 and £34.99).
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Bungie also has plans to introduce regional pricing for the game, the details of which will be shared at a later date.
Included in the base version of the game are the following contents:
- Full access to Marathon.
- Free gameplay updates over the year, including new maps, Runner shells and events.
- Additional seasonal content.
- USEC Marathon’s Cryo Archive for Season 1.
Marathon will also include a battle pass of sorts (known as the Rewards Pass), whose contents will never expire, allowing players to grind through the game at their leisure. Players will also be able to purchase previously released Rewards Passes, eliminating the fear of missing out entirely.
Too Little, Too Late?
Marathon releases in a period where players have grown tired of the repetitive extraction shooter genre, and the team at Bungie will have to pull off a near flawless experience to keep fans happy.
Expectations aside, Bungie will also have to address the series of controversies that followed Marathon. The game was met with mediocre reviews upon its initial beta testing, along with complaints of the game’s $40 ‘premium’ price (where many argued that such a game should be free to play instead).
There was also the issue of plagiarism, something which Bungie publicly admitted to. It’s hard to acknowledge a company that bases their entire game design off plagiarized work, and fans were understandably disappointed.
That being said, the whole situation has since been defused, with creator/artist Fern Hook (ANTIREAL) and Bungie coming to an agreement. The game had since been delayed, and the team is hard at work crafting and polishing the game ahead of its 2026 release.
Bungie has the skills to pull it off, with the studio having produced absolute bangers such as Halo. This could still be a comeback story for Bungie, if they play their cards right that is.
The game has to be practically flawless, all while maintaining a sense of cohesiveness in its gameplay and progression systems. The game should also offer something unique when compared to the already saturated extraction shooter genre.
We will have to wait and see how it all pans out on release, and until then we should keep our expectations in check.
