Today, Bungie announced that Marathon‘s long-awaited Season 3 update hasn’t just been delayed, the entire seasonal model is going away. But that’s not all Bungie revealed. It also teased the extraction shooter’s first big post-seasonal-model content drop, and it includes giant alien bugs.
Bungie is calling Marathon‘s Symbiosis update, which will go live on December 8, the game’s “first major step in Marathon’s next chapter.” “The update will introduce Marathon’s first permanent PvE experience, providing a new way to explore, progress, and engage with the world beyond traditional PvPvE extraction gameplay,” the studio writes. “Symbiosis is an important milestone for Marathon and the beginning of a broader evolution through March and beyond, shaped by what we learn from players along the way.”
The announcement was accompanied by an image of Marathon Runners shooting at a giant bug-looking creature that would be right at home in Helldivers 2, another PlayStation live-service shooter. It wouldn’t be the first time players have fought insects on Tau Ceti IV. Punching massive ticks has become second nature. But there’s been nothing on this scale before. Bungie said it will give players more info on what to expect soon, but alien bugs are apparently the future of the game.
“Our first blog about Marathon’s future plans is scheduled for later this month where we will share how we will be evolving Marathon into a more alien and dynamic survival experience,” the studio announced on September 14. “We know you’ll have questions, and we’ll answer them as clearly and quickly as we can. We’ll continue showing our work and providing regular updates as we move toward Symbiosis and the future beyond it.”
While there’s been a rift in the Marathon community between those who want the game to prioritize PvP content and those looking for a pivot to a more PvE-centric experience, there was pretty unanimous disappointment in the current season when the survival horror elements teased at the beginning turned out not to be a big deal. Players wanted zombie Runner Shells they’d have to fight in addition to the standard UESC security droids. What they got was very much not that.
Symbiosis will be an opportunity to deliver on the promise of a Marathon where AI-controlled NPCs and environmental hazards take center stage. With Destiny 2 now sunset, maybe Marathon will morph into something that fills that void. Maybe players will finally encounter the Pfhor. Or maybe it’s too little, too late. Marathon remains one of the best games I’ve played this year and I’m down to try out any future version of it that the developers will give us.
