Marathon is a PvPvE extraction shooter from Bungie that launched in March 2026. As of July 2026, the game is in Season 2, with Del Chafe III as game director following Joe Ziegler's departure, and the development team continues to support the game after recent layoffs.
Marathon, Bungie's PvPvE extraction shooter, launched in March 2026 and is now in its second season. Season 2, which began in June 2026, introduced the dark zone Night Marsh, new runner shells, a new mode called Survival (Sponsor) with reduced PvP elements, and a full asset reset that gave all players a fresh starting point. To coincide with the season launch, Bungie held a free open play week from June 3 to June 10 on Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, making all Season 2 Nightfall content playable and allowing progress to carry over to the full game.
On June 25, 2026, Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bungie announced layoffs as part of an organizational restructuring. The reductions affected most of the Destiny development team and part of the Marathon team, along with SIE staff supporting Bungie's operations. Bungie stated that Destiny 2 had not met expectations and that the current development structure could not sustain future plans. SIE CEO Hermen Hulst explained that the decision followed months of review and that multiple alternatives were considered. Marathon, described as an important part of the SIE portfolio, will continue to receive support. Affected employees received severance and career transition assistance.
On July 17, 2026, game director Joe Ziegler announced his departure from Bungie. Ziegler, who joined the studio in 2022 after a 12-year tenure at Riot Games where he directed VALORANT, stated he will move to a new role with details to come. Del Chafe III succeeded him as game director, and creative director Julia Nardin remains on the project. The Marathon development team said it will continue communication through the game's X account.
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Joe Ziegler, game director of Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon, announced his departure from the studio on July 17. Del Chafe III will succeed him as game director. Ziegler, a former VALORANT director at Riot Games with a 12-year tenure there, joined Bungie in 2022. He stated he will move to a new role, with details to come. The Marathon development team will continue communication through its X account.
Onion Soup Interactive's Andy Madin discusses the early access release of Nippon Marathon 2: Daijoubu, a chaotic Japan-themed racing game. In an interview, Madin cites Takeshi's Castle and shonen anime like One Piece and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure as key influences on the game's over-the-top character design and physics-based chaos. The game is available on PC and Linux.
Sony Interactive Entertainment and its subsidiary Bungie announced on June 25, 2026, that they are conducting layoffs as part of an organizational restructuring. The reductions target most of the Destiny development team, part of the Marathon team, and SIE staff who support Bungie's operations. In a statement, Bungie said that Destiny 2 has not met expectations in recent years and that the current development structure cannot sustain future plans. The announcement follows the end of Destiny 2's development, which concluded with a final update on June 9, 2026. SIE CEO of the Studio Business Group Hermen Hulst explained in an internal email that the decision came after several months of review with Bungie's management regarding long-term direction, development priorities, and the studio's role in the broader portfolio. He added that multiple alternatives were considered before concluding that reductions were necessary. Marathon, which launched in March 2026, remains an important part of the SIE portfolio and will continue to receive support. Affected employees will receive severance, career transition assistance, and where possible, opportunities within SIE's global studio network. This is the third round of layoffs at Bungie in the past five years.
Bungie will hold a free open play week for the PvPvE extraction shooter Marathon from June 3 to June 10, during which all Season 2 Nightfall content is playable. Season 2 adds the dark zone Night Marsh, new runner shells, and a new mode Survival (Sponsor) with reduced PvP elements. Progress carries over to the full game.
Bungie announced a free play week for Marathon from June 3 to June 10 on Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The period coincides with the start of Season 2, which resets all player assets and weapon arsenals, giving newcomers a level starting point. The update adds a new zone, a Runner Shell, weapons, and a new enhancement system.