Sony's Chief Financial Officer Lin Tao confirms that the company plans to take more control over Bungie as it looks to completely integrate the developer into PlayStation Studios. While Destiny 2 continues to be the foundation for Bungie, the studio hasn't had a smooth road over the past couple of years, following a series of layoffs and other development difficulties.
Since launching in 2017, Destiny 2 has continued to be the main focus of Bungie, though the player base has seemingly continued to dwindle following the end of its "Light and Darkness" saga with The Final Shape expansion in 2024. The recently released Edge of Fate expansion for Destiny 2 saw disappointing launch numbers, leading fans to worry about the future of the game. On top of that, Bungie is working on a new game, Marathon, though it has also run into a number of difficulties as well as a launch delay, further complicating things.
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Sony To "Lessen" Bungie's Independence
During a Q&A session following Sony's recent financial results, Chief Financial Officer Lin Tao was asked for an update on the management of Bungie. While Sony offered a "very independent environment" at the time of Bungie's acquisition, things have begun to shift in the other direction. Following a series of layoffs, Sony began to exert more control over Bungie, with Tao confirming the ultimate goal of fully integrating the studio into PlayStation Studios.
Alongside the Bungie plans, Lin Tao was asked about Marathon and the potential of a worst-case scenario should the extraction shooter be canceled. Tao revealed that Marathon is still planned for release within the current fiscal year, which comes to an end on March 31, 2026, though she left some wiggle room for that to be changed if needed as there hasn't been an official announcement. With that said, Tao confirmed Bungie is continuing to make progress with Marathon's changes and updates, and there are no plans or expectations that the game could be canceled. She then went on to state that she's confident that an official launch announcement can be revealed sometime in Autumn.
Compounding these issues even further has been Sony's attempts at live service, which have been mixed at best. While Helldivers 2 has been a clear standout for Sony's live-service push, it has had some high-profile flops as well, such as the online shooter Concord. Rumors continue to persist that Fairgame$, an upcoming live service game from Haven Interactive, has also been delayed internally. In fact, Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon has also seen a lengthy delay following an underwhelming beta test and eventual accusations of plagiarism over its art style having been taken from an artist known as 4nt1r34l (Antireal).
WHERE TO PLAY
Infil into the dark sci-fi world of Tau Ceti IV: A derelict colony rife with rival Runners, hostile UESC security forces, and unpredictable environments. As you scavenge its zones for valuables with a crew or alone, tense moments of exploration break into fast-paced PvP combat where gunplay is responsive, supplies are finite, and preparation is rewarded.
Exfil to advance your seasonal power, earn cosmetics for your achievements, and assemble stronger builds with your stolen loot. Then put your gear back on the line to seek even greater fortunes in your next run.
A GRAVEYARD OF POSSIBILITIES
Trespass across deserted research facilities, rugged landscapes, and security outposts holding the remnants of a vanished expedition, yours to salvage. Tau Ceti threatens death at every turn with unique enemies, dynamic events, and environmental hazards. Each zone escalates in difficulty, preparing you for the UESC Marathon locked in the heavens.
POWERFUL. CONFIGURABLE. EXPENDABLE.
Six equippable Runner shells offer diverse playstyle foundations to build upon, like Destroyer, Recon, and Thief. Scavenge an arsenal of moddable weapons, body implants, and core system upgrades to craft countless builds. Strategize as a crew each run to form comps that maximize your combined strengths, shaping the way you approach fights and objectives.
Face the unknown as a crew of two or three, or alone in solo lobbies. Or sneak into in-progress crew lobbies as Rook, a lone scavenger with no starting gear and nothing to lose. Forge uneasy alliances with rival Runners in prox chat to defeat mutual foes, but remember your new allies might revert to enemies just as quickly. Be merciless in combat: A lone survivor can reboot their crew, even from death.
INFLUENCE IS POWERLiaise with six competing factions, each offering lucrative incentives to advance their foothold on Tau Ceti. Completing faction contracts grows your baseline power via season-long unlocks like Runner shell upgrades, stronger starting loadouts, expanded vault space, and specialized wares on offer for spare loot.
No one knows what happened a century ago when the Marathon expedition went dark. As a trespasser into UESC territory, you are uniquely positioned to piece the story together. Unearth the skeletons of Tau Ceti’s past as you run deeper into the colony.
DEATH HANGS ABOVE
Once the way into orbit unlocks, bring your endgame build to Cryo Archive, the first floor of the UESC Marathon. Solve raid-like security measures to unseal frozen vaults and pillage the artifacts within. Every cramped corridor forces you into conflict with fully-geared enemy crews racing for the same prize. Breach the seventh vault to challenge an entity even the UESC fears.
- Genre(s)
- Extraction Shooter, FPS, Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
