Marathon was originally slated for a September release and it was going to be Bungie’s big shooter game of the year. However, the studio announced today that they’re pushing the release date back. In addition to that, there’s no timeframe on when we can expect to see it.
Bungie stated that they’ll be using this time to refine certain gameplay elements and, more importantly, ensure that Marathon feels unique.
The Alpha test created an opportunity for us to calibrate and focus the game on what will make it uniquely compelling—survival under pressure, mystery and lore around every corner, raid-like endgame challenges, and Bungie’s genre-defining FPS combat.
Bungie
We’re using this time to empower the team to create the intense, high-stakes experience that a title like Marathon is built around. This means deepening the relationship between the developers and the game’s most important voices: our players.
Over the next few months, we’ll continue closed testing (including participants from the Alpha) to deploy gameplay updates and test new features as they come online.
To get into specifics, here’s what the team will be looking at:
- Upping the Survival Game
- More challenging and engaging AI encounters
- More rewarding runs, with new types of loot and dynamic events
- Making combat more tense and strategic
- Doubling down on the Marathon Universe
- Increased visual fidelity
- More narrative and environmental storytelling to discover and interact with
- A darker tone that delivers on the themes of the original trilogy
- Adding more social experiences
- A better player experience for solo/duos
- Prox chat, so social stories can come to life
Marathon got its first Alpha test earlier this year after a very intense few days of ARG action. Reception started out positive, though it quickly became lukewarm, especially as stolen art allegations started to emerge.
It’s definitely a shame to hear about the delay, though it’s probably for the best. While I didn’t get the opportunity to play the Alpha test myself, it sounds like Bungie definitely nailed the gunplay (as they always do), though other aspects of the game may have fell short. The studio has also been taking the time to review all the other assets used in Marathon to ensure that no more stolen art was used, which may also have contributed to Marathon‘s delay. Still, the Fall season is already looking pretty stacked so I guess I can’t be too disappointed.
Marathon is set to be released for PC and consoles, though there’s no confirmed release date just yet.
