At long last, Marathon is almost here, and Sony is releasing some limited-edition PS5 peripherals to celebrate. There were times when it seemed like Bungie's latest live-service title may not see the light of day, but it looks like it has come back and is poised for a March 5 release. Only time will tell if Marathon ultimately lives up to player expectations, but fans will at least be able to play it in style.
Bungie first revealed the upcoming extraction shooter in 2023, but things did not go according to plan after that. After an art plagiarism controversy and negative feedback from early playtests, Marathon was delayed indefinitely, leaving many gamers feeling nervous about the game's future. However, less than a year after the delay, things seem to have gotten back on track, and the title now has a firm release date, price, and some tie-in PlayStation 5 accessories.
New Bungie's Marathon Leak Reveals Major Improvements
A reputable insider leaks new details surrounding Marathon's latest closed playtest, namely some substantial upgrades for the upcoming Bungie shooter.
On January 19, Bungie officially confirmed Marathon's release date and pre-order bonuses, and Sony wasted no time in unveiling its Marathon Limited Edition DualSense controller and Pulse Elite wireless headset to mark the occasion. Both accessories will release on March 5, 2026, the same day as the game's launch, and pre-orders will open on January 29 at 10 AM ET in the U.S. Fans in select European countries will be able to pre-order the Marathon DualSense at 10 AM local time the same day, but the Pulse Elite is only available to U.S. Buyers. It's unclear just how much there will be of both accessories, but Sony says they'll come in "limited quantities," so anyone hoping to nab some should try to pre-order one early to get them before they sell out.
Marathon Limited Edition DualSense and Pulse Elite Release Date and Prices
- Marathon Limited Edition DualSense — Price: $84.99
- Marathon Limited Edition Pulse Elite — Price: $169.99
- Release date: March 5, 2026
- Pre-orders start January 21 at 10 AM (ET) in the U.S./10 AM local time in the U.K., France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
The Marathon DualSense will go for roughly $85, which is the same as the Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition DualSense Sony released last year, but is $10 more than the vanilla controller. At $170, the Marathon Pulse Elite is $20 more than the regular edition of the PS5 headset, which may be a lot, but fans may also have more to spend on accessories in light of how Marathon won't be a full-priced game. After much speculation, Bungie confirmed the shooter's Standard Edition will be $40.
After the delay and multiple controversies surrounding Bungie over the past year, it's unclear how Marathon will land among fans. Releasing these limited PS5 peripherals to accompany the game could be a way to generate some more excitement around the title and recover from that period of uncertainty. Marathon's rough road to release aside, Sony has doubled down on its live service ambitions despite acknowledging some recent failures, so it makes sense that the company would do a big promotional push for its latest live-service game. There are plenty of extras and collectibles in Marathon's Deluxe and Collector's Editions to look forward to as well.
Even outside of Marathon, it's a good time to be a PS5 owner in search of new accessories. Sony revealed three new PS5 console and DualSense cover colors in early January, and several games have gotten their own special edition DualSense controllers. As people start to question what the PS6 may look like, it looks like the current-gen console may be ending on a high note. Hopefully, games like Marathon will help with that, but how big a splash the title will make remains uncertain until it finally comes out this spring.
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.
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full
- Cross Save
- Yes
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- March 5, 2026
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- March 5, 2026
- PS5 Release Date
- March 5, 2026
- Genre(s)
- Extraction Shooter, FPS, Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- File Size Xbox Series
- 21 GB
Source: PlayStation