Never say never. According to Insider Gaming and highly-trusted game insider Tom Henderson, Bungie is getting ready to bring the Marathon series back from the dead. Prior to the release of the Halo series, this first-person sci-fi shooter was a hit with players starting with the first game’s release in 1994 for the Apple Macintosh. It’s unclear why the company is interested in bringing the game back nearly three decades later, but longtime fans are curious to see how time will treat this once-popular collection of PC titles.
The Marathon Trilogy was initially released starting in 1994 with Marathon for the Mac OS. This was followed by Marathon 2: Durandal in 1995 and Marathon Infinity in 1996. As stated, the titles are widely regarded as spiritual predecessors of Bungie’s legendary Halo series. By 2002, the original title sold 200,000 copies.
Sources say that the game is currently in a pre-alpha state and that it is being transformed into a three-player, extraction-based shooter. The reimagined Marathon will have players focus on completing missions and getting out of dangerous areas in one piece, with plenty of loot up for grabs. It’s no surprise that the game will feature a live service model with seasonal rewards and progression. After all, look at Destiny.
Previously, Bungie stated that it would have a new, non-Destiny IP title out by 2025. In 2019, the company filed for a trademark called “Matter,” which may be a codename for the project. Should Marathon come to fruition, it will be the first non-Destiny title Bungie has worked on in over ten years.
The original Marathon games saw players exploring unique alien environments in a first-person perspective, most of which were populated with alien life or other players. The first game in its genre to focus heavily on story content, players could interact with wall-mounted computers to discover their mission objectives and to learn more about characters in the story.
Set in 2794, the first game follows a security officer aboard a massive human starship, the U.E.S.C. Marathon. Players must defend the ship and its inhabitants from the Pfhor, a race of alien slavers. Marathon 2: Durandal takes place seventeen years after the first game, and tells the story of an army of ex-colonists sent to search the ruins of Lh’owon, the S’pht homeworld. The S’pht were previously enslaved by the Pfhor.
The final game in the series, Marathon Infinity features a larger plot and more levels than the previous title. Lh’owon’s sun is being used as a prison for an eldritch abomination, and players must traverse multiple timelines to ensure that the beast remains in its prison.
Given the game’s impressive history, it will be interesting to see where a new Marathon could take us in this new gaming era.
