Bungie's Marathon Reportedly Delayed

Bungie's upcoming multiplayer shooter, Marathon, has reportedly been delayed internally at the studio. Earlier this year as part of Sony's PlayStation Showcase event, Bungie announced that it was bringing back its dormant franchise Marathon in a new capacity. At the time of its reveal, Bungie didn't give any sort of launch window for Marathon and stressed that the project was still in the early stages. Unfortunately, based on new details that have now come about, it sounds like it will take longer than previously expected for the shooter to see the light of day. 

Based on a new report from Bloomberg, those in charge at Bungie today announced that Marathon is now targeting a release in 2025. As mentioned, Bungie previously hadn't announced a release window of any sort for Marathon, which means that this isn't a delay in the eyes of the general public. Still, this reporting suggests that Bungie was potentially looking to release Marathon in some capacity this coming year, which is now no longer happening. 

As a result of this delay, Bungie has also today suffered layoffs across multiple departments. Currently, the extent of these layoffs isn't fully known, but social media has started to see team members at the studio announce that they have now been let go. Bungie itself has yet to comment on the layoffs and the potential delay of Marathon, but it's also being reported that Destiny 2's next expansion, The Final Shape, has also been pushed back. If a formal comment from Bungie regarding this situation does emerge, we'll be sure to update this story in the future. 

Until that time, you can find the first trailer for Marathon along with its official description from Bungie below. 

Marathon

"From the creators of Halo and Destiny comes a new sci-fi PVP extraction shooter: Marathon. Become a Runner in Bungie's new sci-fi PvP extraction shooter. Compete for survival, riches, and renown in a world of evolving, persistent zones, where any run can lead to greatness.

A massive ghost ship hangs in low orbit over a lost colony. The 30,000 souls who called this world home have disappeared without a trace. Strange signals hint at rumors of mysterious artifacts, long-dormant AI, and troves of untold riches. You are a cybernetic mercenary – a Runner – and your destination is Tau Ceti IV. You are one of many, working solo or with a crew, venturing into the unknown and facing the unimaginable in a fight for survival, for riches, for fame... and for infamy. Who among you will write their names across the stars?"