Marathon

Marathon is an extraction shooter (a genre where the goal is not only to kill, but to get out with the loot alive) from Bungie, released on March 5, 2026 on PC (Steam), PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It is not a remake of the classic Marathon trilogy of 1994-1996, but a new IP in the same universe. The action takes place on Tau Ceti IV: an abandoned UESC colony, a missing expedition, a hundred years later. You play as a Runner, a biomechanical mercenary who enters the zone, collects artifacts and resources, and has to get out alive.

Within one session: three players form a team, choose a Runner Shell (a character with distinctive abilities) and gear, and jump into the zone together with 15 other Runners - six teams, a maximum of 18 people. Inside there is PvP (fights against other players), PvE (UESC AI guards) and environmental anomalies. Got the loot - look for the extraction point and leave. Died - you lose all your gear. Survived - you carry the loot to camp, level up, and prepare for the next run.

Runner Shells are six roles with distinctive abilities: Thief (stealth), Locus (heavy assault), Void (support), Kestrel (mobility), Blackbird (recon), Sentinel from Season 2 (defensive system that blocks grenades and rockets). These are not rigid tank/healer/dps roles - they set the team's tactics.

Marathon works on a seasonal model. Season 2 "Nightfall" launched on June 2, 2026: a new zone Night Marsh, a new Runner Shell Sentinel, The Cradle progression system, and the first seasonal wipe in the game's history - all accumulated loot and ranks were reset. This is a normal thing for extraction shooters, but not all buyers know about it. The PvE endgame is Cryo Archive: structured missions with mechanics and narrative, which became the main reason players returned.

Reception: Metacritic PC = 82 (after the release of Cryo Archive; launch = 72); Steam Very Positive - about 84% of ~52,000 reviews; peak CCU 88,337 on release day. Metacritic user score = 5.7 (1,379 ratings) - a gap between critics and the community because of monetization and the pace of content releases. 2.2 million players in the first month.

Localization: full Russian voice-over and subtitles - the first Bungie game with a Russian dub (Destiny 2 had subtitles only). Attempts to bypass it through a VPN carry a risk of an account ban (documented cases in March 2026).

The Deluxe Edition (appid 3569750, $59.99) includes additional Runner Shell skins and a Premium Rewards Pass Voucher. The Standard Edition (appid 3065800, $39.99) is the base game. The cosmetics store is visual only - there is no pay-to-win. The classic Marathon trilogy of 1994-1996 is available for free on Steam - these are different games, not an extraction shooter.

Marathon is a team extraction shooter from Bungie: you enter a zone on Tau Ceti IV with a squad of three, collect artifacts and loot, and try to get out alive while other teams do the same. Full Russian voice-over.