Marathon reveals season plan – See how it will work

The launch of Marathon marks the beginning of a project designed to grow over time. Bungie's new title arrived in March on PlayStation 5, PC, and XboxOne, taking players to Tau Ceti IV, a planet filled with abandoned technology, intense battles, and extraction missions.

Unlike many traditional releases, the studio's proposal isn't limited to the content available on the first day. The plan released by the team shows that Marathon will follow a season-based model, each with significant changes and new challenges throughout the months. See the details below!

Seasons structure the progression of the game

One of the central aspects of Marathon is how the seasons work. Each cycle lasts approximately three monthsand introduces new features that change the matches.

At the start of each new phase, all progress related to inventory, equipment, and faction evolution is reset to the initial point. This means everyone starts over on equal footing, regardless of their previous participation time.

This system was designed to keep the competition balanced. Without this periodic reset, whoever started first would end up accumulating resources that are difficult to access later. Even with this reset, some elements remain preserved between seasons:

• unlocked or purchased cosmetics
• titles won during matches
• progress recorded in the Codex

Content available at launch

Right from launch, Marathon features a base of activities within Tau Ceti IV. Three different regions serve as the setting for extraction missions and team battles.

The areas available at the start are:

1. Perimeter
2. Dire Marsh
3. Outpost
   

Each region features abandoned structures, old facilities, and strategic points where groups compete for resources and technology. In addition to these explorable zones, the launch introduced several important elements:

• six controllable Runner Shells
  
• six factions with their own progress
  
• twenty-eight weapons with modifications
  
• implants that alter attributes
  
• contracts with varying rewards
  
• unlockable cosmetics
  
• Codex system with narrative information
  

Season 1: Death Is the First Step

The first season of Marathon is called Death Is the First Step and takes place between March and June. During this period, new content will be released gradually.

The highlight of this phase is the Cryo Archive, a new area located inside the abandoned UESC Marathon spacecraft. The site features narrow corridors, security systems, and long-forgotten cryogenic sectors.

Within this space, teams need to overcome different obstacles:

• Break into protected safes
  
• dealing with traps scattered throughout the corridors
  
• to confront other groups in search of the same resources
  
• Investigate laboratories and cryogenic chambers

This location represents a high-risk area within the game, where every decision can determine the success or total loss of the collected equipment.

In addition to the new map, the season also features other new additions:

• Ranked competitive mode
  
• special event called CARRI
  
• new weapon
  
• additional implants
  
• mid-season balance update
  

Season 2: Nightfall 

The second planned cycle for Marathon is called Nightfall and is scheduled to take place between June and August. This phase brings changes that alter the pace of missions in Tau Ceti IV. One of the main additions is Night Marsh, a nighttime version of the Dire Marsh region.

Darkness completely alters the dynamics of the raids. With reduced visibility, every movement needs to be carefully calculated. Furthermore, UESC reinforcements begin to appear more frequently, increasing the level of danger in the explored areas.

Among the confirmed new features for this season are:

• new Runner Shell called Sentinel
  
• A system called The Cradle, focused on attribute adjustments.
  
• new weapons and modifications
  
• additional enemies
  
• threats scattered across the map
  

Details about Season 3 have not yet been revealed

The roadmap released by Bungie also mentions a third season planned to take place between August and November. However, details about content, maps, or systems have not yet been revealed. The developer preferred to keep some of the information secret at this time.

This type of decision usually happens in projects that receive frequent updates. This way, the team can analyze community feedback before confirming new content.

With the launch already completed and the first season active, Marathon officially begins its update cycle. The areas available now represent only the beginning of what has been planned.