Bungie’s Marathon is targeting a release by March 2026 (in FY25), with Sony saying the game is already seeing “strong early engagement.”
Bungie’s next big project, Marathon, is back in the spotlight after Sony called out the game’s “strong early engagement” during its latest business presentation. The game has been at the center of the conversation for months, first with the reveal, then a Closed Alpha Test, and lately, some big controversies.
Behind the scenes, Marathon’s road hasn’t been entirely smooth. Multiple insiders and even former Bungie employees have come forward in recent weeks, sharing their experiences working on the project. One ex-Bungie dev went public, describing the leadership on Marathon as “extremely toxic and humiliating,” and called for big changes at the studio.
Other reports suggested that there has been friction over the game’s heavy PvP focus, with some developers raising red flags that were, according to reports, ignored by higher-ups.
All of this has left the Marathon fans wondering: Is the game in trouble? There’s been a lot of talk about possible delays. Reports have popped up saying that Bungie has paused its June 2025 marketing for Marathon, which only added fuel to the fire.
Sony Confirms “Strong Early Engagement” for Marathon, Praises “Innovative And Bold” Direction
Now, we finally have some official word. In Sony’s new Business Segment Presentation for 2025, Hermen Hulst, the CEO of Studio Business Group, singled out Marathon as one of the company’s most important upcoming live service games. He called it “an innovative and bold take on the extraction shooter genre,” making it clear Sony still sees a lot of potential in the project.
Sony is seeing “strong early engagement” for Marathon. This comes directly from the new presentation slides and the segment itself, where Sony shows Marathon right alongside hits like Helldivers 2 as a major focus for its FY25 plans.
“We also remain committed to building a diverse and resilient portfolio of live service titles,” said Hulst. “MLB Show, Destiny 2, and Helldiver 2 have established enduring player communities and provide a strong base for our ambitions in this category. We are building on these successes, leveraging key learnings as we look to the future to further refine our capabilities. We look forward to further showcasing our progress with Marathon, our new title from Bungie.
“We are also very excited for Bungie’s upcoming title, Marathon. An innovative and bold take on the extraction shooter genre.”
As for the release date, the presentation lists the game for “FY25,” which runs through March 2026. But earlier this year, Bungie officially confirmed a September 23, 2025 release date for Marathon, so as it stands, that’s still the date to watch. Of course, with the release window extending into early 2026, it leaves the door open for another delay if more development time is needed.
It’s also worth mentioning that, according to reports, Sony had canceled paid marketing plans for Marathon in at least one international market. This led to plenty of speculation about what’s really happening behind the scenes and if the game’s going to be delayed, but as of now, neither Sony nor Bungie has officially announced any changes to the release plan.
What do you think about Sony’s latest statement and Marathon’s road to launch? Share your thoughts below!
