Bungie to Reveal Marathon Gameplay in Upcoming Livestream

Bungie is set to unveil more about its highly anticipated PvP extraction shooter, Marathon, through an exciting gameplay livestream scheduled for this Saturday, April 12 (or April 13, depending on your location). This event marks a significant milestone for fans eagerly awaiting a deeper look into the game.

Last week, Bungie sparked intrigue with a cryptic tweet featuring a 15-second video that quickly engaged fans in an "extensive alternative reality game." The community's detective work revealed that the ASCII art in the video contained a snippet from the initial trailer, specifically showcasing a runner sprinting down a hall. The excitement escalated with another cryptic message: "WHEN WILL HE RETURN ERROR ERROR ERROR HAS OCCURRED THE ENEMY RETURNED SYSTEM WARNING: PROTOCOL BREACH EVACUATE THE BASE IMMEDIATELY ALL UNITS REPORT TO STATION INITIATE EMERGENCY PROTOCOL 7 DATA LOSS IMMINENT GOOD LUCK, COMMANDER."

Bungie acknowledged the global community's collaborative effort in a statement: "Thousands of community members across the world worked together to unlock the gameplay reveal date for Bungie’s upcoming extraction shooter Marathon." 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) or Sunday, April 13 at 2 am JST (Tokyo) / 3 am AEST (Sydney) / 5 pm NZST (Auckland).

Marathon was announced in May 2023 as a reboot of the classic Bungie franchise, embracing themes of "mysteries, eeriness, and psychological creepiness." Set on the enigmatic planet of Tau Ceti IV, players will assume the roles of Runners, cybernetic mercenaries engineered to withstand the planet's harsh conditions. The game involves exploring a lost colony and scavenging for valuable loot, including new weapons and gear.

Since its initial announcement, updates have been sparse. However, a development update video in October provided insights into Marathon's mechanics, though Bungie emphasized that the game was still in its early stages of development.

Recent shifts in the gaming industry have also impacted Bungie's projects. Following the sudden cancellation of the live-service shooter Concord, Sony has recalibrated its focus on live-service games. In November 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki announced the company's commitment to launching only six out of the twelve planned live service games by March 2026, which included the cancellation of The Last of Us multiplayer game.

Bungie itself has faced its share of challenges, including significant layoffs. In July 2024, the company laid off 220 staff members, representing 17% of its workforce, following another 100 layoffs less than a year prior. Additionally, former Marathon director Chris Barrett was reportedly fired after an internal misconduct investigation, leading to Barrett's lawsuit against Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bungie for over $200 million.

To catch the Marathon reveal live, tune into the official Marathon Twitch channel on April 12.