Bungie is offering a golden opportunity to dive into Marathon as the game prepares for its second season. Starting June 2, the high-stakes extraction shooter will be entirely free to play across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC. This “Open Play Week” invites both newcomers and seasoned veterans to explore the dangers of Tau Ceti-IV until June 9.
The announcement arrived alongside a developer insights video and a detailed blog post. Bungie emphasized that any progress achieved during this window will be retained, and the studio plans to host a sale for the game as the season kicks off. By wiping inventories and resetting progression, the team aims to recreate the atmosphere of the game’s initial launch, ensuring everyone begins the new chapter on a level playing field.
“When players start a new season, I want them to feel like we’ve been able to kind of recapture the magic of week one of Marathon launch,” said senior design lead Brenton Woodrow. “Everything is new. You don’t know what’s valuable yet. That feeling of discovery is going to be exciting and push you to new stories and new journeys along your seasonal progression.”
The theme for Season 2, dubbed “Escalation,” focuses on a heightened offensive from UESC forces. As this conflict intensifies, so does the influence of the Anomaly—a radioactive phenomenon that warps local physics and mutates the planet’s ecosystem. This leads to a haunting new playable zone: a nocturnal iteration of Dire Marsh. Developers note that this map leans heavily into survival horror, emphasizing environmental hazards and forcing players to navigate around the shifting, disruptive force of the Anomaly.
During the first week of the season, this new map will be exclusively available, before transitioning into a 90-minute rotation between its day and night variants.
A new defensive Runner Shell, the Sentinel, makes its debut this season. Designed for tactical support, the Sentinel deploys an automated laser platform to intercept enemy projectiles while simultaneously buffing weapon handling for nearby allies. Equipped with a proximity-based “Snare Mine,” the Sentinel is a formidable presence. Its “Castle Doctrine” passive trait further bolsters survivability by increasing damage resistance following splash impact, making it an ideal choice for aggressive, close-quarters combat in the murky depths of Dire Marsh.
Bungie is also refining the core gameplay loop, aiming to polish existing mechanics and streamline faction progression to ensure each milestone feels more rewarding.
Perhaps the most significant addition is the “Cradle” system. This feature allows players to empower the WEAVEworms within their biocybernetic forms to enhance Runner Shell statistics across six categories and unlock potent perks. By utilizing a “Matter Converter,” players can trade excess gear for experience to dump into these upgrades, allowing for greater customization and deeper build diversity.
With a full seasonal reset on the horizon, now is the perfect time to burn through your current gear. Use your best equipment aggressively before the upcoming wipe resets the board for everyone.
Source: Polygon
