Bungie makes history with the release of its first completely new project in over a decade: Marathon. A sci-fi PvP extraction game, Marathon will see players engaging one another as cybernetic mercenaries known as Runners, as they journey to Tau Ceti IV's abandoned colony in search of wealth, fame, and vengeance.
Scott Taylor, the Marathon's General Manager, and Game Director Christopher Barrett spoke with us to discuss where we are heading in the Marathon.
Today you announced Marathon – Bungie's first entirely new project announcement in more than a decade. How has it been so long since you've been able to keep this secret?
Scott Taylor: This is amazing to be able to open up (even just a little) and talk about this topic in front of the world. We've been completely immersed in developing this world behind closed doors at Bungie.
The term "Marathon" suggests retro games from 1994, but this is something different.
Christopher Barrett: It's one of the most enjoyable parts of developing this game! We've always wanted to honor the original Marathon games, particularly the world's mythology, narrative, and themes. At the same time, we want this game to be something completely different and different.
We're striving to create something remarkable both for newcomers to the Marathon world and for those who have been waiting years for additional stories in the Marathon universe. We're making the experience enjoyable and familiar for those who've never played the game.
Marathon will be like a Bungie game, according to you. What does this suggest for you?
CB: Bungie's gameplay has a wide range of advantages: from the incredible feel of the weapons to stunning and evocative world building, rich in history, intrigue, and plenty of adventure.
One of our main areas of focus with Marathon is player-based storytelling. The original Marathon games revealed narrative moments through terminals, all in text. But now there are so many more strategies to immerse players in this world, both in and out of the game. We'll be carrying that ethic into the design of this game.
Here at GameFlow, we want to have players interact with the world's narrative through their choices and actions. This allows us to shape the game's overall narrative direction while also giving players a sense of agency and power.
Marathon is developed from the ground up as a PvP-focused game. Instead, we're creating narratives that are integrated with the overall game narrative. That might mean a memorable firefight against another crew who wants the same treasure or a last-second extraction.
We want to give players the opportunity to impact these persistent areas as well as the larger world as a result of their actions. For example, imagine a crew discovering a previously undiscovered gem that opens a new area of the map for all players to explore with each passing season.
Marathon is currently in development, according to you. What does that mean, and do you have a timeline for when fans will receive more information on the game?
ST: There is still a lot of work to be done before the game becomes available to everyone, including continuing to expand our team. That's one of the most difficult parts of game development: hiring when everything is still under wraps.
I know that marathon enthusiasts are interested in learning more. Believe me, we will be able to show you the gameplay the next time you hear from us about it. It's much closer to the launch.
The official Bungie Web site has a longer version of this Q&A. For more information on Marathon, visit www.marathonthegame.com.
2023 PlayStation Showcase
announcements from PlayStation Studios and third-party publishers Announcements from PlayStation Studios and third-party publishers
- Final Fantasy XVI launch trailer, Salvation, revealed
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 gameplay revealed
- Introducing Concord—a new PVP multiplayer FPS from Firewalk Studios coming to PS5 and PC
- Bungie unveils Marathon
- Watch the first trailer for Dragon’s Dogma 2, Capcom’s upcoming action-RPG
- Tower of Fantasy, an immersive cyberpunk open-world RPG, hits PS5 and PS4 this summer
- Two new playable characters join the Granblue Fantasy: Relink roster
- First Assassin’s Creed Mirage gameplay revealed, launches October 12
- Alan Wake 2 launches on PS5 October 17
- Foamstars, a fresh new party shooter revealed for PS5 and PS4
PS VR2 release information
- New gameplay details revealed for Crossfire: Sierra Squad, coming to PS VR2
- Beat Saber launches on PS VR2 today with new Queen Music Pack
- Immersive PS VR2 action-shooter, Synapse, launches on July 4
- First look at Arizona Sunshine 2 revealed, launches on PS VR2 this year
- First PS VR2 footage for Resident Evil 4 VR Mode revealed
- Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 – hiring again on PS VR2
Announcements from the Indies
- Revealing Ultros, a psychedelic sci-fi side-scroller coming to PS5 and PS4 in 2024
- Welcome to Revenant Hill, where your journey to become a witch’s familiar begins
- Towers of Aghasba hits PS5 next year – new gameplay details
- Revealing Cat Quest: Pirates of the Purribean, coming to PS5 and PS4 next year
- Phantom Blade Zero: a new beginning in a long journey
- Teardown hits PS5 later this year
- Meet the friends and foes of The Plucky Squire’s storybook world
- Introducing Neva, the beautiful new game from the developer of Gris
- The Talos Principle 2 brings mind-bending puzzles and haunting beauty to PS5
- Introducing Sword of the Sea, a new game from Giant Squid
