On September 23, 2025, Bungie’s new game Marathon will be released. The developers have now shown gameplay for the first time and revealed what the battles in the game will look like.
This is how the gameplay of Marathon works: Marathon (PS5, Xbox Series, PC) is Bungie’s new extraction shooter in which you take on the role of a so-called “Runner” – these are cybernetic mercenaries – hunting for loot.
As an extraction shooter, Marathon follows a specific principle: You start a run, loot items, fight against NPCs and other players (PvPvE), and try to extract. If you die, you lose the equipment you were carrying.
- Upon release, there will be 2 different maps available where up to 18 players can compete per lobby. Each team consists of up to 3 players.
- Before each run, you choose one of 6 Runners, each with different abilities such as a cloaking mode or a forward-facing shield.
- In addition, you also prepare your loadout before the start of the round.
- If you have lost all your equipment and have an empty stash, the so-called factions can sponsor you a new loadout.
- Loot includes items like weapons, materials, and equipment.
With the factions, you can also take on different missions and complete them during your runs for a reward. You also receive rewards for assisting your teammates with their missions.
5 minutes of gameplay give a first taste of Marathon
On April 12, Bungie showcased gameplay for Marathon for the first time. In a nearly five-minute video, we got to see the weapons of the shooter and how they behave in combat. The developers also demonstrated some abilities and gadgets as well as the movement of the Runners.
Before we discuss our observations, you can watch the video here:
Simple gunplay meets fast movement
What stands out about the gunplay? The gunplay itself feels intuitive. The recoil looks relatively easy to control, and the sights are clear and straightforward. Overall, it feels “smooth”.
Additionally, there is relatively fast, action-packed movement that includes slides, jumps, and dashes, which complements the gunplay well.
The weapons themselves are adapted to the sci-fi setting of the shooter. Depending on the weapon, the shots do not seem to be ballistic rounds fired with much force. Instead, they appear to launch some kind of energy or laser projectile.
In general, different weapons were showcased. We saw for example:
- rapid-fire submachine guns
- sniper rifles
- shotguns
- and something that could be a type of machine gun with a large magazine.
The weapons apparently also have different ammunition types. For a submachine gun, for instance, light ammunition was required.
The time-to-kill of Marathon is difficult to assess based on the gameplay trailer, but it seems roughly comparable to the TTK in PvP from Destiny – perhaps it is slightly higher. Battle royale shooters like CoD: Warzone or Apex Legends might have a similar TTK.
In an interview, Marathon director Joe Ziegler revealed that it is at least possible to win 1v3 situations depending on gear, strategy, and skill.
The video also shows that the shields of the Runners noticeably impact the time-to-kill. They function somewhat like the shield system in Apex Legends and ideally regenerate with consumables, as they only fill up slowly on their own. Additionally, you can upgrade the shields and thus receive more shield segments, allowing you to absorb even more enemy fire.
Long-term motivation through endgame content and ranked
What makes Marathon special: Marathon has a strong focus on PvP, and to keep you motivated to play the shooter long-term, there will be endgame content, community events, and seasonal storytelling, as well as some kind of ranked mode. In this mode, matchmaking will also depend on your rating – unlike in the normal explorer mode.
So that your matches don’t just consist of watching your surviving teammates after a lost gunfight, they can revive you at any time – provided your opponents allow it.
