Bungie will remain a multiplatform developer… but they’ve turned their IP into an extraction shooter.

Marathon is also a live service game, and Sony is admittedly relying on Bungie to deliver on their vision for it. A sci-fi PvP escape-based shooter that will be a new IP from Bungie for over a decade. The game’s website gives nothing away: “From the creators of Halo and Destiny. Become a runner in Bungie’s new science-fiction player-versus-player extraction shooter. Compete for survival, riches, and renown in a world of evolving, persistent zones where any run can lead to greatness. Marathon is currently in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC with full cross-play and cross-save.” So you can play anywhere with others and pick up where you left off.

The PlayStation Blog also features an interview with Bungie CEO Scott Taylor and Marathon director Christopher Barrett. “Finding the right balance is one of the most fun development parts! We have tremendous respect for the original Marathon games, and from the very start, we’ve wanted to honor that, especially the mythology, story, and themes of the world. At the same time, our vision for this game is something new. It’s not a direct sequel to the originals, but something that belongs in the same universe and feels like a Bungie game. Finding those opportunities to nod to the universe’s lore while also getting to build something different and new has been one of the best parts of developing this game so far. We aim to create something incredible for players who are completely new to the Marathon world and those who have been waiting years for more stories in the Marathon universe. You don’t need to know anything about Marathon to understand or play this game, but if you do, we’re making the experience with references and deep cuts you’ll recognize,” Barrett said.

Why is Marathon a Bungie game? Barrett also answered this question: “There are many elements to what makes a Bungie game. It runs the gamut from the incredible feel of the weapons to beautiful and evocative world-building, rich in lore, immersion, and opportunities for an incredible adventure. With Marathon, one area that is a big focus for us is our player-based storytelling. The original Marathon games revealed story moments through terminals, all in text. But now we have so many more ways to immerse players in this world, both in and out of the game. We’ll be carrying that through in the design of this game. Our design philosophy here is to have players affect the story of the world through their choices and actions. This approach also lets us shape the overall narrative direction of the game experience while giving players an immediate sense of agency and power. Marathon is designed as a player-versus-player-focused game and won’t have a single-player campaign. Instead, with the PvP experience as our foundation, we’re creating opportunities for player-driven stories to unfold, which are integrated with the overarching game narrative. We’re building a world full of persistent, evolving zones where players create their journey with every run they take. That might mean an unforgettable firefight against another crew vying for the same loot or a last-second extraction while beset on all sides. Beyond just the ‘story of your last run,’ we want to give players a chance to affect these persistent zones and the larger world as a result. For example, imagine a crew discovering a previously undiscovered artifact that, when activated, opens a new area of the map for all players to explore. Essentially, we’re creating a game where players’ actions can impact the world and players with each unfolding season.”

When will we hear more about the game? Taylor replied: “There’s still a lot of work to do before launch or even before we’re ready to discuss the game in more detail. The team is hard at work, and we’ve got a great base to start from, but there is still so much more to do, including continuing to grow our team. That’s one of the most challenging parts of game development: hiring when everything is still under wraps…”

No release date for Marathon yet. Barry said: “We don’t have a release date yet, but it’s coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and PC.

Source: Gematsu