Marathon is Bungie's first PS5 and PC PlayStation Studios game, and its first new game since Destiny
Marathon, Halo, Destiny, Destiny 2... and now Marathon again. Bungie is going back to its roots.
It's been a long time coming, but we've finally got word on what Bungie has been cooking up over the past few years.
After being committed to the Destiny salt mines for the better part of a decade, the (original) Halo developer has finally unveiled its first new project in years: Marathon.
But, hang on, hasn't Bungie made a Marathon game before? Yes. Marathon was a first-person shooter video game developed and published by Bungie way back in the hazy Mac gaming years (yes, really) of December 1994. The game takes place several centuries into the future in outer space, and was very well known for being quite fiendish in its puzzles and unique, cerebral take on combat.
The newest game isn't quite the same as its forebear, though; from the trailer we've seen so far, it looks like this iteration of Marathon is an extraction shooter that's in the same universe as the original, but all dolled up with new bells and whistles.
Per a post on the PlayStation Blog:
"A sci-fi PvP extraction shooter, Marathon will find players engaging one another as cybernetic mercenaries known as Runners, exploring a lost colony on the planet of Tau Ceti IV in search of riches, fame, and infamy. Marathon is currently in development for PlayStation 5 and PC with full cross-play and cross-save."
Marathon General Manager Scott Taylor and Game Director Christopher Barrett added some information about the title, saying:
"It’s our aim to create something incredible both for players who are completely new to the Marathon world and for those that have been waiting years for more stories in the Marathon universe. You don’t need to know anything about Marathon to understand or play this game, but if you do, we’re making the experience with references and deep cuts you’ll recognize."
So, if you're a fan of the original series – despite the big differences in style and genre – it looks like there might well be something here for you.
No release date was announced for the game during the PlayStation Showcase.