Bungie announced a delay for Marathon, its upcoming extraction shooter originally scheduled for release on September 23. The studio has not yet provided a new release date but expects to share one later this fall.
The developer identified key areas for improvement based on player feedback from recent alpha tests. These include making AI encounters more challenging and engaging, and enhancing combat to be more tense and strategic. Bungie also plans to deepen the Marathon universe by increasing visual fidelity, adding more narrative and environmental storytelling, and adopting a darker tone aligning with themes of the original trilogy.
Additionally, Bungie intends to expand social features, such as proximity chat, and improve experiences for solo and duo players.
“We’re using this time to empower the team to create the intense, high-stakes experience that a title like Marathon is built around,” Bungie stated, emphasizing a closer collaboration with the player community.
Earlier alpha tests received mixed reviews, and this delay reflects Bungie’s effort to avoid a potential live-service disappointment for Sony.