The creator of Halo and Destiny has announced a new project that looks to bring its old sci-fi shooter franchise back from the dead. In a surprise announcement at the PlayStation Showcase, Bungie revealed that it is rebooting its original Marathon series as an extraction shooter inspired by the battle royale genre.
Players will become Runners, individuals who compete in heart-pounding PvP action as they battle for survival and riches in a dynamically evolving world of constant change. The game will take place in 2850, in a world where advances in clone technology have enabled humans to reliably transfer their consciousness into synthetic bodies. Runners will be able to evolve and customize their physical abilities in a variety of ways, as they fight for control of valuable loot and weapons.
A CGI trailer for the game was also showcased at the event, giving audiences a taste of the visual style and heart-pounding gameplay. In the trailer below, a massive ghost ship hovers over a deserted colony on Tau Ceti IV, where the 30,000 inhabitants have mysteriously vanished, leaving only cryptic signals that hint at elusive artifacts, dormant AI, and untold wealth.
In a PlayStation blog post, game director Christopher Barrett explained that while the new Marathon will be set in the same universe as the original games, it will stand on its own and will focus on player-driven stories. He added that fans of the series shouldn’t worry about having to catch up on the lore as there will be nods and deep cuts for them to enjoy. The game will be released on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC with full cross-play and cross-save support.