Marathon will adopt a premium pricing model rather than launching as a free-to-play title. Learn more about the game's pricing strategy and the developer's decision to omit proximity chat features.

Marathon Development Updates

Marathon Will Not Be Free-To-Play

The Marathon development team has confirmed the game will follow a premium release model rather than free-to-play. During Bungie's April 13 gameplay showcase, developers revealed the release date and debuted new gameplay footage while noting final pricing details would be announced this summer.

Marathon Director Joe Ziegler explained the decision on the April 14 Friends Per Second podcast: "We're focused on delivering premium content that justifies players' investment upfront while committing to seasonal updates that expand the game without additional charges."

Ziegler emphasized confidence in the game's quality, stating "We recognize players have different expectations regarding value, and we're committed to making Marathon an exceptional experience." Bungie clarified via social media on April 13 that while Marathon won't follow Destiny's free-to-play model, it won't carry standard AAA pricing either.

Proximity Chat Feature Omitted

The development team has opted to exclude proximity chat functionality from Marathon's multiplayer features. While this technology has grown popular in recent extraction shooters, Ziegler explained concerns about maintaining positive player interactions influenced the decision.

"We're not fundamentally opposed to proximity chat mechanics," Ziegler told PC Gamer. "Our priority remains creating safe multiplayer spaces, and we haven't found solutions that effectively mitigate potential toxicity while preserving authentic player interactions."

The director noted ongoing industry-wide challenges with implementing proximity chat responsibly: "If we identify solutions that maintain our community standards, we'd certainly reconsider. Currently, we're focusing on other aspects of social gameplay that align with our design vision."

Marathon launches September 23, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms.