In the crowded space of first-person shooters, Bungie’s take on the extraction shooter genre is showing serious potential. During an early preview of Marathon, we watched gameplay footage and spoke with Game Director Joe Ziegler to learn more about the studio’s ambitious new IP.
While extraction shooters aren’t entirely new, they remain a niche corner of the FPS market. Only a few titles, like Escape from Tarkov, have managed to stand out—though its PC exclusivity and hardcore mil-sim mechanics limit its accessibility. Bungie now has a unique opportunity to redefine the genre with a more approachable yet hardcore experience.
In an interview, I asked Joe Ziegler about the difficulty of extraction shooters and how Bungie is approaching this with Marathon:
“Marathon has an onboarding experience that helps you understand a little of the core concepts of the game.”
He explained how the game will provide players with a few early goals to help them get their footing before transitioning into self-directed objectives later on.
“There’s a lot of relearning how to play a shooter. We’ve definitely made a hybrid tactical-action shooter model that we feel is actually easy to pick up.”
“However, that doesn’t mean we’ve sacrificed depth on the back end. The combat definitely escalates, and there’s a lot of skill involved in how you navigate things.”
The game hasn’t been shy about the inevitability of dying. It’s something made clear in its teasers and branding, with phrases like “Death is not the end.” While frequent death can be frustrating for many in the PvPvE genre, it’s long been a core part of the extraction shooter experience.
Players will step into the shoes of a “Runner” on the planet Tau Ceti IV. During the preview, two Runners were showcased in action—one with the ability to turn invisible and another with enhanced movement speed.
Joe Ziegler mentioned that there will be four Runners available in the alpha, with a planned six at launch. There are no restrictions on squad composition, so if all three players want to use the same class, they can.
Each Runner comes with unique traits, but Bungie has emphasized that customization will still play a key role as they allow players to tailor their Runners to suit their preferred playstyle, possibly in a way similar to what we’ve seen in Destiny.
When discussing team composition, Bungie revealed that squads will consist of three players.
“A lot of it came down to what is the manageable squad size for people to coordinate with—while also not being so big that it becomes difficult to field multi-front battles with.”
He also elaborated on the balance of 3v3 encounters:
“When you’re fighting in multi-front situations, you never feel like it’s impossible to come out on top.”
That said, lone wolf players can still take on the challenge solo if they’re confident enough to face off against other squads alone.
At launch, Marathon will feature four maps, each representing different biomes of the planet Tau Ceti IV, complete with dynamic weather and events. As with other extraction shooters, players can expect seasonal wipes.
“Right now, we’re planning to have four seasons in a year. So every three months, we are planning to do a wipe between every season, and part of the reason behind that is we want every season to feel like its own unique journey.”
Cosmetic loot earned during the season or picked up in-game will carry over, and Joe explained that each season will offer new, unique cosmetics:
“You’ll accumulate, over time, a pretty cool set of commemorative items that sort of show you did well in the season.”
Marathon’s storytelling will focus heavily on world-building within the raid-like runs you enter, with each season offering a distinct narrative theme that is reminiscent of Destiny’s approach. The game also emphasizes self-discovery throughout these runs, aiming to shape your Runner’s identity through the choices and experiences you encounter.
From what we’ve seen and discussed with Game Director Joe Ziegler, Marathon blends a compelling mix of design elements, featuring fluid, fast-paced tactical combat alongside Destiny-like gear and loot systems. The game’s lore is both intriguing and mysterious, with much of it set to unfold during the raids players will be “running.”
While I felt like I only scratched the surface of what Marathon has to offer, its sci-fi setting and stylized visuals, which evoke the aesthetic of anime classics like Ghost in the Shell, have captured my interest.
Marathon will launch globally on September 23rd, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC. It’s worth noting that the Australian release may differ due to server launch.
A planned alpha test has been announced for those interested, check the Marathon website for more details.
