Marathon Symbiosis update brings free access December 8–15, six Crew Up rewards, a three-run PvE mode and 3v3 Deathmatch.
Bungie says Marathon will be playable without a purchase from December 8 to 15, and the studio is launching a co-op event with six cosmetic rewards alongside the free access period. The week coincides with Symbiosis, the December 8 update that adds the shooter’s first permanent PvE mode after Bungie delayed its originally planned September content.
Bungie previously promised an expanded Perimeter, a new Runner shell, and a separate PvP playlist.
Today, a new Bungie announcement now explains how the free week and its rewards will work.
Marathon Symbiosis Update Adds Three-Run PvE and 3v3 Deathmatch
Symbiosis launches December 8, with an Open Play Week running through December 15. Bungie confirmed that anyone can download and play the full game during Open Play Week, December 8 through 15, including Expedition, Extraction, and the new Symbiosis gear.
There’s no need to buy Marathon to participate. Anyone who purchases it afterward keeps the items and progression earned during the trial.
The largest change is Expedition, a PvE-only mode launching in Phase 1. Instead of fighting other Runners, solo players or crews tackle a “three-run series” with combat and environmental challenges.
Flash Boosts let players adjust their builds during a run. Deathmatch (Beta) goes in the opposite direction. It pits two teams of three against each other in short matches where they compete for points, without putting permanent loadouts at risk.
For players who like Marathon’s gunplay but don’t want to risk gear in an extraction run, a separate 3v3 playlist is a sensible experiment.
Marathon Crew Up Event Details
Crew Up starts December 8 at 12 p.m. PT and ends December 22 at 10 a.m. PT, a week after Open Play closes. Once Symbiosis is live, players must redeem code DMA-T7Y-XJL at bungie.net/redeem, then complete the tutorial if they haven’t already to access the new Events section of the Codex.
From there, successive Expedition challenges become more demanding. Bungie says these “tasks cannot be completed solo.” Each crew needs at least two players who have redeemed the code, though everyone advances their own challenges and claims rewards independently.
The six cosmetics are the Queen’s Nest emblem, Queen’s Dominion background, Queen’s Maw weapon sticker, Cluster Bunch weapon charm, Arata Vectus Destroyer skin, and Exterminator title.
Crew Up’s challenges are tied to Expedition, but Open Play participants can also jump into Extraction to earn loot, XP, and faction upgrades. After December 15, anyone continuing Crew Up will need to own the game.
Symbiosis also expands Perimeter with the underground Burrows, submerged Reservoir, and Tick Queen encounter, introduces the blade-focused Bishop shell, and adds the V17 Flamethrower and Maverick revolver. Limbo provides a social space with firing ranges and a dueling pit.
Bungie’s October roadmap still points to a larger Marathon expansion in March 2027, with another zone, more narrative quests and connected PvE, PvP, and PvEvP activities. December’s three-run Expedition is the first chance to see how one of those new pillars works.
Will Expedition’s three-run PvE mode bring you back on December 8, or are you more interested in the 3v3 Deathmatch beta? Let us know in the comments.
