Bungie Announces Marathon Gameplay Reveal Showcase

Image: ARG

After a week of cryptic teasers and glitchy uploads, Bungie has officially locked in the first-ever gameplay reveal for their upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter Marathon. The showcase is set for Saturday, April 12 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT, streaming live on the game’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.

Teasers, Glitches, and Hype

Fans have been expecting something big. Bungie’s been dropping hints all week — from weird “glitch” videos on social media to refreshed Marathon profiles across Steam, YouTube, and Facebook. Now, it’s official: the showcase is on.

To hype things up even more, Bungie released a one-minute teaser giving us a taste of the game’s world. It’s dripping in cyberpunk vibes, with neon-drenched cities, overgrown greenery, and sleek sci-fi designs. While labeled “NOT ACTUAL GAMEPLAY,” it’s clearly meant to represent the game’s atmosphere — and it looks fire.

The teaser comes with a mature content warning and no ESRB rating yet, hinting at gritty themes and intense action, typical for the extraction genre.

What Is Marathon, Anyway?

If you missed the original announcement during Sony’s 2023 PlayStation Showcase — Marathon is Bungie’s first non-Destiny game in years, and a reimagining of their '90s Mac-exclusive franchise. But this isn’t a straight reboot.

• Genre: PvP-focused sci-fi extraction shooter

• Setting: The mysterious planet Tau Ceti IV

• You play as: Cybernetically-enhanced mercs called Runners

• Core gameplay: Drop in, loot valuable gear, survive, extract — think Escape from Tarkov, but in space

Unlike the OG Marathon trilogy (which was single-player-heavy), this one is all about multiplayer mayhem with persistent zones, loot-based progression, and deep customization.

You’ll be able to mod your Runner with gear and augments, and Bungie is teasing possible PvE elements too, though those details are still under wraps.

Development Status: Where’s It At?

The road to Marathon hasn’t been smooth. Bungie’s dealt with layoffs in 2023 and 2024, and in October last year, Joe Ziegler (formerly of Valorant) took over as game director after Chris Barrett exited following misconduct allegations.

Ziegler said the game’s worlds are shaping up, but characters and enemies still need work. He also confirmed expanded playtests in 2025, which likely puts the full release closer to 2026 — though some fans are still holding out hope for a late 2025 surprise. And after showcase why not!

Marathon is being built with cross-play and cross-progression across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, making it Bungie’s first major multiplatform push outside of Destiny.

There’s even narrative throwbacks to the OG trilogy — with references to a lost colony and the rogue AI Durandal, a name that’ll hit longtime Bungie fans right in the nostalgia core. That said, this reboot is definitely focused on action-first, not story-heavy content.

This is Bungie’s first original IP since Destiny launched in 2014. With Sony now backing the studio, and Marathon poised as one of PlayStation’s biggest upcoming exclusives, the pressure is on. But if Bungie delivers on April 12, they might just pull off another genre-defining hit.

Will Marathon live up to the hype? We’ll know more this Saturday. Until then — stay frosty, Runners.