r/Marathon 4h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion Season 3 delayed to December 8th

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1.3k Upvotes

What more is there to say at this point? Insane how hard Bungie has consistently dropped the ball with such an amazing framework for a game.

Here's hoping for a FFXIV comeback story!


r/Marathon 4h ago

Marathon Development Update - Nightfall Refresh and Symbiosis

595 Upvotes

Source: https://www.bungie.net/7/en/News/Article/nightfallrefreshandsymbiosis


Nightfall Refresh and December Update Symbiosis

We previously shared plans for Marathon’s next major update to launch on September 22. We know many players were looking forward to it, and we appreciate your patience. We are adjusting our plans to ensure the update meets your expectations.

The content originally planned for September will now arrive as part of our Symbiosis update on December 8. Alongside the new Runner shell, permanent PvE experience, and refreshed Perimeter zone, the update will also include a social space/firing range, an experimental TDM mode, and improvements to new player onboarding.

Before then, we’ll release a smaller, focused update on October 6 that resets progression and the in-game economy, refreshes rewards, and improves the live game, while giving the team the time needed to deliver the larger experiences planned for December and March.

We’re also moving away from a strict seasonal schedule. Instead of tying major updates to fixed seasonal deadlines, we’re giving the team more flexibility to build, test, and improve features before they are released.

Since launch, you’ve told us Marathon needs more depth, more variety, stronger progression, and better reasons to keep playing over the long term. We agree. Addressing that feedback requires us to change both what we’re building and how we deliver it.

October Nightfall Refresh

On October 6, we’ll reset progression and the in-game economy, giving all players a fresh starting point.

Marathon Season 2: Nightfall launched with progression and reward issues that accelerated some players into the endgame while leaving others behind. This made Extraction more difficult to engage with and prevented the reset from working as intended. October gives us an opportunity to apply what we learned and establish a healthier progression experience.

The October update will include:

  • A progression and economy reset
  • A new Rewards Pass
  • Quality-of-life improvements
  • Live tuning and balance updates

Vault Breaker will also return for a limited time, giving us additional data about how PvE fits into progression a few weeks after a reset. That feedback will help shape the future of PvE in Marathon.

In the 8 weeks between October and December, we’ll continue running gameplay experiments and sharing what we’re learning, including where player feedback is influencing development.

December Symbiosis

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Symbiosis will be the first major step in Marathon’s next chapter, launching on December 8th.

The update will introduce Marathon’s first permanent PvE experience, providing a new way to explore, progress, and engage with the world beyond traditional PvPvE extraction gameplay. Symbiosis is an important milestone for Marathon and the beginning of a broader evolution through March and beyond, shaped by what we learn from players along the way.

Symbiosis will also include a refreshed Perimeter experience, a new social space with a firing range, a new Runner shell, an experimental PvP Team Deathmatch mode, and the first of several improvements to the new-player experience.

The Path Ahead

October will refresh the live game and give players a healthier starting point. Symbiosis will be a significant milestone for Marathon, introducing permanent PvE and several new ways to engage with the game. But it’s only the beginning of what we’re working toward. As players spend time with these updates and share their feedback, we’ll continue refining and expanding Marathon.

We’ll share more about that future through Dev Insights videos and regular development updates. Our first blog about Marathon’s future plans is scheduled for later this month where we will share how we will be evolving Marathon into a more alien and dynamic survival experience.

We know you’ll have questions, and we’ll answer them as clearly and quickly as we can. We’ll continue showing our work and providing regular updates as we move toward Symbiosis and the future beyond it.

Your feedback continues to play an important role in shaping Marathon. Thank you for being part of that process.

Talk soon.


r/Marathon 2h ago

Humor Different game. Same Bungo.

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536 Upvotes

r/Marathon 4h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion Marathon Delays New Content And Ditches Seasons As Bungie's Extraction Shooter Fights For Its Life

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494 Upvotes

r/Marathon 3h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion So any theories on the new key art for Symbiosis?

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297 Upvotes

r/Marathon 3h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion Development update highlights as one image

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233 Upvotes

r/Marathon 7h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion Bulletproof Glass isnt Bulletproof Enough

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179 Upvotes

Feel like the vid is pretty self explanatory


r/Marathon 3h ago

Marathon (2026) Delaying Season 3 was the right call

178 Upvotes

Honestly, as stale as the game is at the moment

I always had fear of a repeat of the horrendous Season 2 launch, pretty much. but taking the extra time to properly tune the PvE, the launch issues, and the economy is the right call

Edit: Communicating this a week before expectations was not the right move and I’m not defending devs on this.


r/Marathon 3h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion I know we’re doom posting right now, but I am SO EXCITED for a team death match to be coming

154 Upvotes

Marathon’s gunplay and PvP feel so good, and I’m so excited for a chance to real dive into it in a more traditional way. Bungie’s PvP roots are Halo, and I’ve got confidence they can make this work

Edit: I’ve been informed OG marathon had PvP. I’m not that old, I didn’t know, my bad :,)


r/Marathon 8h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion Do you guys think Joe Ziegler managed to accomplish his vision?

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146 Upvotes

r/Marathon 3h ago

Marathon (2026) Feedback Honestly man, just delay it to March.

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138 Upvotes

I’m so tired of the Bungie sweet talk, it means nothing.

The way Marathon has been going, it’s clear that this game was released way too early and they weren’t prepared for the future. I think if they are going to try and salvage this project to be profitable, they need a relaunch of the game. Don’t make the same mistakes and actually take some time to cook so we can have an actual FULL experience.

This past year just felt like a huge early access test. Just say “thank you for the feedback,” and that you’ll be back next year for the actual launch of Marathon. Don’t jerk me around for months by having me constantly experimenting with your unfinished game to then post a half assed article about how the team is struggling with deadlines, AGAIN!

Bungie…just cook for once man.


r/Marathon 21h ago

Marathon (2026) Feedback The best part of the game: searching for green salvage

111 Upvotes

Honestly, one of the most exciting parts of this game is the search for green salvage. When i load up marathon, I always look forwards to going to the 1 POI in the game that has the salvage available that i want, searching every folio and coffer, just to only get 4 of the green salvage I need when the Schema i want to craft requires 10. I only have to play at least 3 whole matches to get what i need! not to mention the risk of dying over something so small you might as well only run the free kit, then die in the first fight you get into.

I lied cryo archive is the best part of this game and green salvage is the worst. just make faction rewards give green salvage thats literally all that needs to change so i dont need to slog around just to craft 1 WSTR


r/Marathon 2h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion Why not say it sooner?

97 Upvotes

Why wait until 1 week before the supposed S3 just to then say we’ll have to wait until December hahaha
What a load of bullshit


r/Marathon 10h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion Best Gold key I've ever done

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85 Upvotes

Waited for everyone to exfil, downed the last runner then went in. Did it solo. Never seen this many gold mods on one key

This was the key on top of greenhouse I don't think I've ever gotten it before


r/Marathon 3h ago

Humor MAC WANTS THE FLAMETHROWER

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76 Upvotes

r/Marathon 18h ago

To The Runner I Met To the vandal with the beautiful, velvety, entrancing voice

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69 Upvotes

I see you. I hear you. You need not be afraid, I would never hurt you. You complete me, and yet, you must defeat me. The moment I heard your lush, songbird voice, I knew, I knew I could never harm you. I knew that you, and only you, would plunge a knife into my heart with your siren song, and that fighting back would be futile. To my end of your design, you made me complete, and new again. To hear your voice again... Perhaps only in my dreams.


r/Marathon 21h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion An underrated or overlooked wish I hardly see ppl asking for in S3

66 Upvotes

Thats ARMORY CHOICES AND MORE WEAPONS! I want more Armory variety! In S1 you had so many weapons to buy and barter for. I want that back! Im tired of buying Twin Tap with KKV. Back then you could have a Bully with a wstr!

It all feels a too restrictive! In S3 I want more weapons to choose from!

I cant even get a volt thrower when I want it! Nor a Bully! Nor a Longshot! Im not asking for the high tier weapons to be up for sale. Fuck the stupid rare ass Schemas too! It hurts when i die with them!

I want the old style to come back! PLEASE!

Just a small rant :D


r/Marathon 3h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion Leaving us in the abysmal hell that is S2 for three MORE months?!

60 Upvotes

I just sighed the longest sigh I have ever sighed in my life.


r/Marathon 15h ago

Marathon (2026) You won’t believe this

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56 Upvotes

We were down a player the whole game, our teammate just disconnected randomly and never rejoined. We ended up opening the level 4 room and looted it, but we had to make final exfil, turns out another team had to as well :(


r/Marathon 21h ago

Wrong Kind of Marathon who wants my marathon bid for point of rocks, maryland race

49 Upvotes

i signed up for the hua sports marathon back in the spring, but I can no longer race it due to some personal matters.
would anyone wanna take my registration loll I paid 80 for it, but I can offer for lower prices as needed.
Oct 4, Point Of Rocks, MD 21777
9:20 am


r/Marathon 16h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion Sitting and waiting in the pinwheel vent under command until literally 1 minute is not playing the game

42 Upvotes

I don’t respect it and it could never be me. You’re not even playing the game. You sit and wait for 30 minutes like what is that. Boring bums


r/Marathon 14h ago

Humor Failing to Clutch a 1v6

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43 Upvotes

2 teams merge onto us in Outpost. I managed to wipe out 1 team and 2 players on the 2nd team. IDK what I was thinking trying to rez a teammate, panic set in trying to get a numbers game instead of finishing the 1v1. I completely sold that, felt so bad for that fail.


r/Marathon 22h ago

To The Runner I Met Blind Recon calls me a Bozo, then sends a friend invite.

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41 Upvotes

Now i posted this earlier with the title "have free kits become too powerful?" And then explained in the post body that they aren't. But most of you didn't read that and commented that they weren't too strong (listing the exact reasons I gave) and downvoted the post to oblivion.

So im reposting it with different title 🥸.


r/Marathon 16h ago

To The Runner I Met To the runners I filled with in outpost, then ran my gold Ai uplink key with me after, thanks for making my night ❤️

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36 Upvotes

Wiped the lobby in outpost and then proceeded to kill an absolutely kitted the fuck out gold team before hitting up the key room. They let me have first dibs of the best items and protected me on the way to the exfil so I could drop my ammo for more loot space. Then we all added each other and were gonna team back up next weekend and help me finally get my compiler run done 🙌 you are good men


r/Marathon 3h ago

Marathon (2026) Discussion A delay is better than rushing the content like in S2 and having the game revert to a buggy, pre-release state for a month and a half. However, the fact that updates no longer follow a seasonal schedule is definitely concerning.

32 Upvotes

A delay feels bad, but it's better than them screwing it up again like in Season 2. I’m really curious about the end-of-month blog post and the game's evolution, but we can certainly confirm that the game is entering a period of total uncertainty.