Bungie’s Marathon has changed a lot since the Closed Alpha Test. Here’s what’s new, according to sources.
When Bungie first revealed the gameplay of Marathon, its upcoming extraction shooter, there was a ton of excitement around the project. But the months that followed haven’t been so smooth. The Closed Alpha launch faced criticism for no proximity voice chat, no solo-only queue, with flat and “bland” looking map exteriors.
Then came a major art-theft controversy where an independent artist accused the PlayStation studio that her work was copied into the game without permission. Marathon’s art director apologized publicly and said the team is doing a full review of in-game assets.
Since then, Bungie has been quietly running monthly closed playtests with small groups, collecting feedback and polishing things up. Earlier this week, we reported exclusively on the full lineup of Runners and their abilities. Now, The Game Post has learned more details about what’s actually changed in the game since that first Closed Alpha.
What’s New in Marathon Since the Closed Alpha
Proximity Chat, Combat, Healing, and TTK Changes
One of the biggest complaints from the Closed Alpha was the lack of proximity chat in Marathon. After player feedback, Bungie said it was working to add the feature. Now, sources tell The Game Post that proximity voice chat is live in the game and functioning.
According to the details we received, time-to-kill (TTK) is now noticeably faster compared to the alpha. Healing items (like Patch Kits) now work as a heal-over-time effect instead of instantly topping you up, while Shields still apply right away.
There’s also a new environmental mechanic called “Heat Cascade,” where sparks fall from a ship above, dealing damage over time and increasing your heat meter.
One of the biggest complaints during Marathon’s Closed Alpha was how player deaths were handled. Instead of fallen bodies left behind in the fight with blue blood, which is what many were expecting because that’s what was shown in the announcement trailer, in the Closed Alpha, players simply disintegrated into green particles when finished, and a duffel bag spawned at their location.
There’s good news on that front now. When your character dies, the body actually stays on the ground for a while instead of vanishing. And if you’re only downed and waiting for a revive, your character bleeds blue blood (as seen in the trailer), leaving a long trail behind as you move. A duffel bag still spawns when a player dies; that’s how you access their loot.
Codex System, Titles and Shooting Range
Bungie has added a new system in Marathon called “Codex.” These are in-game achievements, where you complete certain objectives for rewards (sounds similar to Triumphs in Destiny 2). Objectives seem very simple, like “Kill 5 enemies on a map with a certain weapon type.”
Along with that, Marathon now has Titles you can unlock by completing a set of objectives. These titles will be displayed under your in-game ID, similar to what Destiny 2 players are used to. A Shooting Range is also in development.
Extraction on UESC Marathon Map
We’ve previously reported that the “endgame” map in Marathon that takes place on the UESC Marathon ship is called “Cryo Archive.” When you select this map in the game, it shows you how massive the full ship is, and that this Cryo map is only a tiny section of it. The Game Post understands that there’s a ton of room for expansion, and it’s likely we’ll see additional maps on the UESC Marathon introduced in future seasons or updates.
There are also some things that are different on the Cryo Archive map compared to other maps. For instance, the permadeath rules, meaning if you’re just downed, your team can still revive you. But if you get fully killed, you can’t be revived.
There’s also a new exfil mechanic on this map. Instead of heading to a fixed extraction zone, players need to make it to the center of the map to the “Control” room and activate a terminal that will generate a random extraction point somewhere on the map.
Once the extraction point is available, you’ll have 3 minutes to reach and exfil. Higher-tier loot on this map is also common. From what we’ve heard, Cryo Archive has seven different sections:
- Cargo
- Index
- Revival
- Preservation
- Biostock
- Steerage
- Cryo Hub (Center of the map)
UI, Audio, and Exteriors
The UI also had a big pass. The menus are cleaner, placeholder icons are gone, and the overall look is far more polished. Sources have described the audio quality as dramatically better than before.
Exterior spaces on the map have also received a major visual pass. These now feature denser foliage, cleaned-up lighting, and better shader work. One source described the overhaul as “night and day” better than the Closed Alpha.
Cosmetics
The Game Post has learned that Marathon will feature different types of cosmetic items. These include Runner skins called “Shells,” weapon skins, charms, and stickers, melee skins, profile banners, and emblems. No details on how much these will cost.
Glitch also appears to be getting the “Goth” skin, which was seen in the cinematic trailer directed by Alberto Mielgo.
No Solo Queue Yet
One thing that hasn’t changed is the matchmaking setup. There’s still no solo-only queue, despite community feedback. Bungie appears to be sticking with trios as the core experience, per sources.
That said, there’s a new Runner called “Rook” (check out his abilities here), which allows you to load into a mid-match, solo. But, from what we understand, it still isn’t a completely solo queue, since you’ll be going against 1v3 in most cases. Right now, this Runner is only playable on Perimeter, Dire Marsh, and Outpost, and not on the Cryo Archive ship map.
Sources also mentioned player counts for the monthly playtests: around 500 players in Closed Test 1, 700 in Test 2, and 900+ for Test 3, which happened this month.
Bungie has confirmed that the new release date will be revealed this fall, with many fans speculating that it could show up during Sony’s rumored State of Play later this month.
What do you think of the changes so far? Do these updates give you more confidence in Marathon’s future? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Zuhaad is a reporter for The Game Post. You can reach him anonymously and securely at [email protected].
