Remember Marathon? It's the next big title from Destiny developer Bungie, and it seems we're on the brink of getting a deeper look into this eagerly awaited game. Marathon is a PvP-focused extraction shooter set on the enigmatic planet of Tau Ceti IV. Players will step into the shoes of Runners, cybernetic mercenaries engineered to endure the planet's harsh conditions, as they explore the remnants of a lost colony on Tau Ceti's surface.

It's been a while since we last got a glimpse of Marathon. Back in October, Bungie shared a comprehensive development update video that offered insights into Marathon's mechanics. However, the team emphasized that the game was still in its early stages. At that time, player character models were still being refined, and enemy models were in their preliminary stages.

Fast forward six months, and it appears Bungie is gearing up to unveil more about what they've been crafting. A recent tweet from the official Marathon account hinted at this with a cryptic image and distorted audio. Observant fans have spotted ASCII art resembling footage from the debut Marathon trailer. Given Bungie's reputation for mysterious teasers, hidden clues, and Easter eggs, there's likely more to uncover, and the community is already diving in to decode the message.

pic.twitter.com/6NBgIdRVK2

— Marathon (@MarathonTheGame) April 4, 2025

Marathon was first announced in May 2023 as a reboot of the classic Bungie franchise, embracing themes of "mysteries, eeriness, and psychological creepiness." However, Bungie has faced its share of challenges recently, including the layoff of 220 staff members in July 2024, representing 17% of its workforce. This move was met with criticism from industry peers. This followed another round of 100 layoffs less than a year prior, leaving the studio's atmosphere described as "soul crushing" by staff to IGN.

Adding to the turmoil, a report surfaced weeks after the 220 job cuts, alleging that former Marathon director Chris Barrett was terminated following an internal misconduct investigation at Bungie. Barrett has since filed a lawsuit against Sony Interactive Entertainment and Bungie, seeking over $200 million in damages.

This all unfolds as Sony reevaluates its strategy regarding live-service games. In November 2023, Sony president Hiroki Totoki announced the company's intention to launch only six out of the planned 12 live service games by March 2026, marking a significant shift. This strategic pivot led to the cancellation of The Last of Us multiplayer game.

While Arrowhead's Helldivers 2 became a massive success, selling 12 million copies in just 12 weeks and becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game, other Sony live service games faced either cancellation or disastrous launches. Notably, Sony's Concord turned out to be one of the biggest video game flops in PlayStation history, shutting down within weeks due to dismal player engagement. Sony eventually decided to terminate the game and close its developer.

Earlier this year, Sony reportedly canceled two unannounced live service games: one being a God of War title developed by Bluepoint, and the other at Bend, the studio behind Days Gone.