A recent job listing posted by Bungie may confirm that its upcoming sci-fi shooter Marathon will be a live-service game. After more than half a decade since Bungie's last project, Destiny 2, which was released back in 2017, it is preparing to take another step forward into the future of gaming with one of its classic IPs of yesteryear.
Earlier this week, Sony held its gaming presentation PlayStation Showcase where developers unveil their upcoming games for PlayStation. Bungie, the creator of Destiny and Halo, unveiled its sci-fi extraction shooter Marathon. Its trailer gives viewers a quick glimpse into what looks to be a far-future sleek cyberpunk world splattered with bright neon colors. Cybernetic beings known as Runners roam a lost colony on planet Tau Ceti IV in search of fame, infamy, and more. Marathon was initially released for the Apple Macintosh back in 1994, but the series has been dormant since 1996. Bungie's upcoming revival of the Marathon series will be a fresh take on this '90s classic.
Marathon will likely be a live-service game. A recent job listing shows that Bungie is in search of a senior demand planning analyst, and the duties and responsibilities for this position further confirms that Marathon will be a live-service game. One of the responsibilities states that the candidate will “develop models for expansion and live service performance.” Marathon's game director Christopher Bassett stated in an interview with PlayStation Blog that Marathon was always planned to be a PvP-focused game with PvE elements yet won’t have a single-player campaign.
“We’re creating opportunities for player-driven stories to unfold, stories that are integrated with the overarching narrative,” said Bassett. “In essence, we’re creating a game where the actions of players can have ramifications for the world and players with each unfolding season.” Bassett has a lot of respect for Marathon's original games but also envisions something new for the future of Bungie’s sci-fi shooter from yesteryear. While the new game will be a nod to the original games' mythology, lore, and themes, it will not be a direct sequel to the Marathon trilogy. It will have the look and feel of Bungie's games of today and will be an experience welcoming to both new and veteran players of the series.
Live-service games becoming the future of gaming has been a controversial hot topic in the gaming community. While PlayStation is known for its beloved single-player experiences, the brand has been open about its desire to offer more live-service games. PlayStation's CEO Jim Ryan sees the live-service model as more promising than subscription services. PlayStation recently acquired studios Haven Studios along with Bungie to support its goal to release 12 live-service games by 2025. Bungie's upcoming game Marathon is planned to be one of the games to launch PlayStation in that direction.
Marathon is currently in development for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.