Bungie clarified how Reward Passes and various microtransactions are handled within Marathon, seemingly taking many lessons learned from Destiny 2‘s Eververse store and applying player-friendly features. It’s a big day for Bungie as Marathon is finally available for players to dive into. While Marathon will continue to grow and expand over time, the game’s launch represents a big milestone for the studio after a lengthy development cycle that had its fair share of ups and downs.
Of course, Marathon‘s launch is just the start, as Bungie will be keeping the game updated with new content over time, similar to the studio’s other game, Destiny 2. As the studio previously revealed, Marathon will have seasonal wipes about every 3 months. Character wipes are nothing new to the extraction shooter genre, and with Marathon, each wipe will be met by a new season of content to explore, making sure every player is back on the same page when it kicks off. New seasons also bring with it content like maps, runner shells, and new gameplay features, including The Cradle in Season 2, designed to give players over each runner shell’s stgrengths and weaknesses. The studio also took a moment to clarify how it is handling microtransactions and seasonal passes.
Marathon Server Slam Had Surprisingly Low Extraction Rates On One Particular Map
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Bungie Clarifies Marathon’s Reward Pass and Microtransaction Systems
On the official Twitter account, Marathon laid out expectations for players on how the game will be handling future content, confirming that seasonal gameplay will be free for all players to access or earn through normal gameplay. In addition, Marathon‘s reward passes won’t expire, meaning players can continue to progress or access the rewards no matter how far into the future the game currently is. Not only that, players will be able to purchase the premium versions of Rewards Passes from previous seasons. Players progress the Rewards Pass using a resource called SILK, which is earned through gameplay and can’t be purchased. Finally, there are no pay for power type of items in the Rewards Pass or in-game shop, as players will be able to purchase cosmetics or unlock them for free via the game’s Codex.
It’s worth noting that players who purchase the Deluxe version of Marathon will earn a bonus of SILK to use on the Rewards Pass, but outside of that, it won’t be available to buy. Players have already taken to social media and websites like the Marathon subReddit to express how refreshing Marathon’s change of pace is. While some remain wary of potentially pricey cosmetic skins or bundles that could appear, many are relieved that the store won’t be using Destiny 2‘s currently controversial systems that include charging for season passes, dungeon keys to access certain content, as well as the various Destiny 2 expansions that have been released. It would appear that the $40 price tag may have played a part in relaxing the types of things Bungie charges for, while also providing another barrier for cheaters trying to ruin Marathon matches.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Naturally, this isn’t a perfect 1-to-1 comparison as Destiny 2 is free to play, with players paying for expansions, seasonal pass content, as well as various cosmetics from the in-game store, while Marathon has a $40 price tag associated with it. Still, how Bungie is handling microtransactions and seemingly reducing the fear of missing out (FOMO for short) has really resonated with players who have grown accustomed to how the studio has been commonly operating with Destiny 2. Content expiring or being vaulted in Destiny 2 has only created a bigger gap between legacy players and those trying to jump in years later, as story beats and other legacy content can no longer be experienced.
The positive reactions have continued to serve the game well, which has seemingly only been gaining momentum after it was re-revealed earlier this year, followed by a server slam event that proved to be much better than its original alpha test in 2025. It’s clear that Bungie has big plans for Marathon at launch and beyond, so with the game’s current positive momentum, it’ll be interesting to see how the game ultimately evolves over time and the player’s reactions to it.
- Released
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March 5, 2026
- ESRB
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Teen / Animated Blood, Language, Violence, In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
