Bungie to Unveil Marathon Gameplay in Upcoming Livestream

Bungie, the renowned developer behind Destiny, is set to unveil more details about its highly anticipated PvP extraction shooter, Marathon, through an exciting gameplay livestream this Saturday, April 12 (or Sunday, April 13, depending on your location).

Last week, Bungie ignited fan excitement with a cryptic tweet featuring a 15-second video that sparked a global sleuthing effort as part of an "extensive alternative reality game." Enthusiasts quickly discovered hidden within the ASCII art "a snippet of footage from the initial trailer," specifically showing "the runner sprinting down a hall from the trailer."

"Thousands of community members across the world worked together to unlock the gameplay reveal date for Bungie’s upcoming extraction shooter Marathon," Bungie announced. The livestream is scheduled for 10 am PDT (San Francisco) / 1 pm EDT (New York) / 6 pm BST (London) / 7 pm CEST (Berlin/Paris) / 9 pm GST (Dubai) on Saturday, April 12, or Sunday, April 13 at 2 am JST (Tokyo) / 3 am AEST (Sydney) / 5 pm NZST (Auckland).

Marathon was revealed in May 2023 as a reboot of the classic Bungie franchise, emphasizing themes of "mysteries, eeriness, and psychological creepiness." The game is set on the mysterious planet of Tau Ceti IV, where players will control Runners—cybernetic mercenaries designed to withstand the planet's harsh conditions. As they explore a lost colony, players will hunt for valuable loot, including new weapons and gear.

Since its initial reveal, updates have been sparse. An October development video shed light on Marathon's mechanics, but the studio emphasized the game was still in its early stages.

Recent industry shifts have also impacted Bungie. Following the abrupt cancellation of the live-service shooter Concord, Sony has reassessed its strategy on live-service games. In November 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki announced the company was committed to launching just six of the 12 live service games it was working on by March 2026, resulting in the cancellation of the The Last of Us multiplayer game.

Bungie has faced its own challenges. In July 2024, the studio laid off 220 staff members—17% of its workforce—less than a year after 100 other layoffs at Bungie. Additionally, former Marathon director Chris Barrett was allegedly fired after an internal misconduct investigation, leading to Barrett subsequently suing Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bungie for more than $200 million.

To catch the Marathon gameplay reveal live, tune in to the official Marathon Twitch channel on April 12.