Marathon release date, preorder bonuses, voice cast, and all you need to know about Bungie’s extraction shooter

Marathon has a lot to prove. It’s another game-as-a-service from Sony, another live shooter from Bungie, and coming off a tepid response to its Alpha. Still, perception is changing for the new game from the creators of Halo and Destiny.

From visual overhauls to revamped Runners, Marathon is starting to look like a new game entirely. If you’re as excited as we are, here’s everything you need to know about Marathon’s 2026 reboot.

The Escapist recaps

• Marathon launches on March 5, 2026, on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
• The game is an extraction shooter where players inhabit the bodies of ‘Runners’ in order to claim remnants found on Tau Ceti IV.
• The game has been delayed in the past, but it looks locked in for its new release date.

Marathon release date, platforms, and preorder bonuses

Marathon was originally slated for September 2025, but was then delayed indefinitely. We now know it’ll launch on March 5, 2026.

It’s coming to PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox, and comes in three versions. Here’s Bungie’s listing for each:

Standard Edition: 

• Marathon (base game)
• 7x Runner Shells
• Moddable Weapons, Body Implants, and Core System Upgrades
• Access to all gameplay updates as the year progresses, including:
  • Maps
  • Runner Shells
  • Events

Deluxe Edition:

• All Standard Edition content  
• 1x Premium Rewards Pass Voucher
• 200 SILK Rewards Pass Tokens
• MIDNIGHT DECAY Weapon Cosmetics:
  • Misriah 2442 Pump Shotgun Style
  • Overrun AR Style
• MIDNIGHT DECAY Runner Cosmetics:
  • Vandal Shell Style  
  • Destroyer Shell Style  
  • Assassin Shell Style  
  • Thief Shell Style

Finally, the Collector’s Edition includes the Deluxe Edition content, but also comes with physical goods, including a 1/6-scale statue of the Thief Runner Shell on Dire Marsh, an embroidered patch, postcards, digital rewards, and a Collectible Sekiguchi WEAVEworm.

What to expect from Marathon

Marathon is a franchise from Bungie’s past, but this new version is a PvPvE extraction shooter. Unlike its genre contemporary ARC Raiders, it’s a first-person title, and players choose one of a series of Shells as their character.

Each has its own abilities, like cloaking or being able to pickpocket items from enemies via a drone, with players tasked with getting in, looting, and escaping from maps set on the mysterious planet Tau Ceti IV.

Bungie says you’ll be able to customize your playstyle using your loot and Shell, leaning into some of the buildcrafting we’ve seen in Destiny over the last decade.

Voice Cast

While ARC Raiders used AI voices, Bungie has assembled an impressive team of voice actors for Marathon.

Here’s who’s in, and where you might know them from.

• Ben Starr (Final Fantasy 16, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
• Jennifer English (Baldur’s Gate 3, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
• Roger Clark (Red Dead Redemption 2)
• Elias Toufexis (Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Mankind Divided)
• Dave Fennoy (The Walking Dead)
• Samantha Beart (Baldur’s Gate 3)
• Neil Newbon (Baldur’s Gate 3)
• Fred Tatasciore (Destiny 2, Marvel Rivals)
• Lee Shorten (Ghost of Yotei)
• Darin De Paul (Overwatch 2)
• Erica Lindbeck (God of War: Ragnarok)

Art controversy explained

Marathon’s art style drew plenty of praise when it was revealed, but some work had been lifted from an artist called Antireal without their knowledge or consent.

Bungie claimed the oversight was from a former employee and apologized for the mistake before resolving things with Antireal. 

Ask The Escapist

References

1. Marathon Editions and Pre-Order Guide (Marathon)