While Marathon features a variety of different character "shells" for players to try out, it also has a free loadout option called Rook, though in an attempt to balance it, the shell has a few limitations that aren't present in some other extraction shooters. It's been a rollercoaster of a year for Marathon, after a lackluster testing period last year, along with a variety of controversies, such as art plagiarism, that ultimately saw the game delayed into 2026. However, after the game's re-reveal this month, things seem to be in a much more positive place.
With the added development time, it seems that Bungie took the feedback to heart, not only resolving the art issues, but further improving the game with highly requested features like proximity chat and a solo queue, while also adding more environmental detailing, better lighting, and more content in general. Marathon's release date was set for March 5, earlier than what many people expected, with Bungie even promising players a free-to-play weekend ahead of its launch to give fans a taste of what they can expect on day 1. Although Marathon's an extraction shooter at its core, the game does feature a few differences from...
