Marathon Is Coming – Bungie’s Extraction Shooter Game Launches March 5 + Outline of Season Structure

Marathon, the new extraction shooter game from Bungie – best known for creating the blockbuster Halo and Destiny franchises – is set to launch this Thursday, March 5, 2026.

The competition is already heating up before the game has officially launched. Marathon currently sits at #3 on Steam’s Top Sellers chart, a remarkable achievement given the game has only appeared on the chart for 3 weeks. Rival extraction shooter Arc Raiders holds the #6 spot but has had a 24-week presence on the chart to build that position. What makes Marathon’s placement even more impressive is the speed of its climb – Bungie’s shooter jumped 32 spots up the Top Sellers list from the previous week, signaling serious momentum and consumer excitement heading into Wednesday’s launch.

Fresh off the Server Slam, Bungie’s pre-launch stress test that ran from February 26 through March 2, the community has already gotten a taste of what’s to come. Players who participated in the Server Slam had the chance to earn exclusive launch rewards — and if you were among them, here’s what you’re walking away with:

– Completed the introductory mission? You’ve unlocked a unique emblem and player background, marking you as part of the first wave of Runners.
– Reached Level 10? You’ve earned the Enhanced Arrival Cache (Green).
– Pushed all the way to Level 30? You’ll be dropping in at launch with the Deluxe Arrival Cache (Blue) in hand.

Today, March 3, 2026, Bungie announced an outline of how long the seasons will last. The game developer and publisher confirmed that the seasons will run roughly three months and will deliver new content with each cycle. Each season triggers a full community-wide reset of gear, contracts, faction progress, and player level, keeping survival stakes high and the playing field level. Cosmetics, achievements, and Codex progress carry over between seasons.

Bungie also confirmed that seasonal updates will introduce new gameplay elements – including gear, Runner shells, zones, and events – all free for every player to access or earn, with no expansions or DLC required.

SEASON 1

Season 1, dubbed “DEATH IS THE FIRST STEP,” centers on a proxy war between rival factions scrambling for answers about the 30,000 colonists lost on Tau Ceti IV. Players begin on the surface and, once the community collectively unlocks access, venture aboard the derelict UESC Marathon ship to tackle Cryo Archive – a high-stakes end-game zone featuring security puzzles, frozen vaults, and a mysterious entity even the UESC fears. A Ranked mode is also set to go live during the second half of March.

Launch content is substantial, featuring 28 weapons, six Runner shells, six factions, and three zones, with a fourth unlocking the day after launch once players reach Runner Level 12.

SEASON 2

Looking further ahead, Season 2: “NIGHTFALL” will escalate the consequences of players’ actions, with the UESC responding to Runner activity in force. Bungie teased a nighttime variant of the Dire Marsh zone and a brand-new system called the Cradle, giving players greater control over their Runner shell’s statistical strengths and weaknesses.

Marathon launches Thursday, March 5 – see you on Tau Ceti.

Platforms: PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Cross-play and cross save support available

Launch timeframe: March 5, 2026, with staggered global times: 10AM PST / 1PM. EST / 6PM GMT

BREAKDOWN OF THE REWARDS (from Server Slam Participation)

Completed the first mission: Standard Arrival Cache
Standard implants (6x)
Standard Runner shell cores (4x)
Standard weapon chip mods (6x)
Weapons: Overrun and Hardline

Reach Runner Level 10: Enhanced Arrival Cache (Green)
Enhanced implants (6x)
Enhanced Runner shell cores (2x for each shell, 12x total)
Enhanced weapon chip mods (4x)
Weapons: Enhanced Magnum and Enhanced Hardline

Reach Runner Level 30: Deluxe Arrival Cache (Blue)
Deluxe and Enhanced implants (3x each, 6x total)
Deluxe and Enhanced Runner shell cores (1x each for each shell, 12x total)
Deluxe and Enhanced weapon chip mods (2x each, 4x total)
Weapons: Deluxe Magnum and Enhanced Volley Rifle
Backpack: Enhanced Base Backpack

The emblem, player banner, and loot rewards will be waiting for you when Marathon launches on March 5.

Marathon – Launch Trailer