Bungie has laid out a broader roadmap for Marathon, confirming that a PvE-only mode is on the way as part of its next wave of experiments and previewing how Seasons 3, 4, and 5 will reshape the extraction shooter over the coming months.
The update comes just ahead of Season 2’s June 2 start date and outlines a more flexible future for the game’s mix of competitive and cooperative play.
Marathon
Release Date: March 5, 2026
Genres: Extraction Shooter
TL;DR
Marathon is getting a PvE-only experimental mode as Bungie begins testing broader changes to the game’s structure. The studio also outlined plans for Seasons 3, 4, and 5, with a focus on onboarding, extraction depth, and tying together PvP, PvE, and hybrid play.
Table of contents
A PvE-Only Mode Is on the Way
One of the biggest takeaways from Bungie’s update is that Marathon will get a PvE-only experimental mode. The mode is planned for Season 2 and will focus on crews completing objectives together while making progress across matches. Before that, the studio also plans to test another experimental mode that leans more toward PvE but still includes a light PvP element.
That is a notable shift for a game built around tense PvPvE extraction play. Bungie framed the move as part of a wider effort to create more ways to play depending on mood, group size, and how much pressure players want from a given session. The studio also said it wants to keep testing other queue types in future seasons, including more PvP-focused ideas, with the possibility that some experiments could become permanent.
Season 2 Starts the Shift
Season 2 is where those experiments begin. Bungie said the season will add a rotating Duos queue, a new matchmaking system aimed at improving match quality, and a larger Vault. It also teased more details on Night Marsh, the Cradle progression system, and the new Runner shell Sentinel.
The studio tied those changes directly to what it learned from Season 1. Bungie said Marathon can be overwhelming for new players, too punishing for people without a regular squad, and not always suited to players who want a more relaxed session. The planned experiments appear aimed at easing those pain points without abandoning the game’s core survival identity.
What Bungie Said About Seasons 3, 4, and 5
Beyond Season 2, Bungie gave a higher-level look at the next three seasons. For Season 3, the studio said it is planning major revisions to the early experience, including significant updates to Perimeter, plus a new Runner shell and more unannounced content. Bungie also said onboarding improvements and contract system changes are in the works for Season 3 and beyond.
Season 4 will focus on adding more depth to the existing extraction loop. Season 5 is being framed even more broadly, with the studio saying it wants to bring the whole ecosystem of PvP, PvE, and hybrid play closer together while continuing to evolve the game’s science-fiction setting.
Why This Matters for Marathon
The roadmap suggests Bungie is not treating Marathon as a fixed-format extraction shooter. Instead, it is opening the door to a wider range of experiences, from lower-pressure cooperative play to more specialized competitive modes. That could help the studio address some of the friction it identified around onboarding, solo play, endgame pacing, and the need for less stressful ways to engage with the game.
It also gives a clearer sense of Bungie’s medium-term plan. Season 2 is positioned as the testing ground, Season 3 as the overhaul phase for early progression and onboarding, Season 4 as a refinement pass for extraction systems, and Season 5 as a larger attempt to unify the game’s different playstyles. Whether those changes are enough to broaden Marathon’s appeal will depend on execution, but Bungie has now made it clear that more dramatic format experiments are part of the plan.