Marathon: Bungie Reveals New Seasons, Runner Shells, Maps, And More Will Be Free Alongside Season 1 Details

We’re just days away from the launch of Bungie’s extraction FPS, Marathon, and ahead of its release, the studio has released a breakdown of everything you can expect in Season 1, alongside a tease of what’s to come in Season 2. Plus, alongside these details, Bungie has revealed that everything in seasonal updates, including gear, Runner shells, zones and maps, events, and more, will be free for all players to access or earn in-game. 

“Seasons in Marathon last about three months, and each season will bring new content and features that change the way you master survival, grow your power floor, and progress through a season,” Bungie’s Season 1 blog post reads. “Marathon’s living universe and gameplay will continue to evolve across seasons, fueled by your feedback and your impact on the world of Tau Ceti as you uncover what happened to the lost colony and on the Marathon ship. Seasonal updates will introduce new gameplay, including gear, Runner shells,  zones, events, and more, which will be free for all players to access or earn – no expansions or DLC required.” 

That’s an exciting update as Marathon prepares to launch in the ever-shifting live-service genre, one that Bungie has consistently adapted and evolved through Destiny 2, and Season 1 promises to add a lot to the game. Let’s break it all down. 

Marathon Season 1 Details

Every player will start fresh each season, putting everyone on an even playing field. Across Season 1, players will complete contracts and progress faction upgrades to gain stronger base stats and better wares in the Armory. Bungie says by doing this and other forms of progression in Marathon, losses will be easier to recover from, and crafting an ideal build will be more accessible. Climb the Ranked ladder, prepare for high-stakes Cryo Archive runs, and secure the most lucrative loot and prestigious rewards for the season. 

Then, when the season is over, get ready for a progression reset – this includes everyone’s gear, contract progression, faction progression, and player level. However, you do keep your achievements and customization options, including cosmetics (earned and paid), titles, and milestone rewards. Liaison contract progression carries over, too, meaning there’s no need to unlock the factions each season. 

“Seasonal resets mean that the game stays dangerous, loot feels meaningful, and there’s always a good opportunity to get back into the game or bring a friend in without feeling behind the curve,” the blog post reads. “It’s a way to say goodbye to the old, welcome the new, and kick off a journey from zero-to-hero with new ways to play, content to master, and things to discover.” 

Season 1: Death Is The First Step 

Season 1 of Marathon is called Death Is The First Step (or First Step) and marks the beginning of a proxy war between rival factions “competing for power and answers to what happened to the 30,000 lost souls of the New Cascadia Colony, and as a Runner, you’re at the forefront of the expeditions.” Once the community unlocks access to the orbit of a derelict UESC Marathon ship hanging above Tau Ceti IV, the fourth zone, Cryo Archive, will become available. “Prepare your mind and shell to take on this end-game zone on the Marathon ship, where you’ll solve security puzzles, unseal frozen vaults, and come face-to-face with an entity even the UESC fears,” the blog post reads.

In the second half of March, Ranked Mode will unlock, allowing players to climb the Ranked ladder and earn exclusive rewards each season. Bungie says it will share more details about this mode closer to its launch. 

Season 1 will also bring events, quality of life improvements, balance tuning, new implants, a new weapon, and other surprises, too, according to Bungie, in addition to the full suite of launch content, which includes: 

• Complete faction and contract progression:
  • All six factions, including Sekiguchi Genetics
• All six launch Runner shells, including Thief
• Three zones, including Outpost
  • Outpost will unlock the day after launch, giving the community time to gear up and unlock the zone at Runner Level 12
• 28 weapons, plus modes, implants, cores, and more to craft your perfect builds
• Earnable cosmetics, achievements, and storytelling through the Codex

Season 2: Nightfall

Bungie says players will start to see the impact of their presence on Tau Ceti IV in Season 2: Nightfall, seemingly alluding to a changing planet as a result of Runner actions. Each season of Marathon, including Season 2, will have a different theme and a unique combination of features, content, and stories that continue to evolve the world and gameplay, according to Bungie, alongside tuning to the game’s loot and progression systems. 

Seasonal updates will always include “a unique set of new content,” including a combination of weapons, mods, cores, implants, backpacks, Runner shells, zones, PvE combatants, faction upgrades, contracts, and new ways to play in existing zones. 

“For example, [Season 2: Nightfall] will bring a nightime version of Dire Marsh, where you’ll fight to survive when the lights go out, UESC reinforcements flood in, and the a~~~~~%^&*()_+{}:”<>?~~~ [Editor’s Note: That’s actually in the blog post, seemingly teasing at something mysterious coming in Season 2],” the blog post reads. “Season 2 will also bring our next Runner shell along with new weapons, mods, cores, contracts, and more.” 

Season 2: Nightfall will also introduce the Cradle, a system designed to give players more autonomy over their Runner shell’s statistical strengths and weaknesses. 

“As we build upon each season, Marathon will continue to grow and evolve,” Bungie writes in the blog post. “The game and world today and a year from now should feel meaningfully different as we add new features and go on the journey of discovering what happened to the colonists of Tau Ceti… and what happens when you dig up secrets that are better left buried.” 

And that’s everything players can look forward to in the coming months with Marathon, which launches this week on Thursday, March 5, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.