The Marathon Symbiosis update is coming December 8, and Bungie is using it to reshape its extraction shooter in a big way. Symbiosis is the first step in Marathon’s evolution, and it is available to all players: a transformed Perimeter zone, a brand-new PvE-only Expedition mode, an experimental 3v3 Deathmatch, a new social space, a new Runner shell and two new weapons. Bungie revealed the update today with a new gameplay trailer, and alongside it comes an Open Play Week from December 8 to 15 that lets everyone experience Tau Ceti IV for free. Bungie’s announcement is the biggest single update Marathon has had yet.
For context, Marathon is Bungie’s high-stakes first-person shooter set on the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV, where players scavenge valuable loot as Runners. It comes from the creators of Halo and Destiny, and it is available in Standard and Deluxe editions on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam, with full cross play and cross save. Symbiosis is the update that shows where the game goes next — and Bungie is making it available to every player, not just those who own the game.
Marathon Symbiosis Update: Expedition Is the PvE Mode Fans Asked For
The headline addition is Expedition, Phase 1 of a new PvE-only mode built around a three-run series. You can play solo or with a crew, taking on new combat and environmental challenges without PvP threats, and use Flash Boosts to shape your build during a run. It is the mode extraction-shooter fans have been asking for: the tension of a run, the loot and the build-crafting, without another Runner waiting around the corner to end it. Bungie is calling it Phase 1, which suggests there is more to come — but even as a first step, it changes who Marathon is for.
Deathmatch Beta, Limbo and a Transformed Perimeter
On the PvP side, Deathmatch [Beta] is an experimental mode built around bite-sized 3v3 Team Deathmatch matches, in which two crews battle for points without risking their permanent loadout. It is a low-stakes way to learn the gunplay and test a build before taking it into the high-stakes extraction modes. Limbo, meanwhile, is a new social space where Runners can connect, test weapons and gear in firing ranges, and challenge each other in the dueling pit — a place to hang out between runs instead of staring at a menu.
The map itself is changing too. Fungal growth and alien life have transformed the Perimeter zone, with new playable spaces including the underground Burrows and the submerged Reservoir — and the Tick Queen lurks deep beneath the surface. It is the most dramatic zone overhaul Marathon has had, and it gives returning players a genuinely new map to learn when Symbiosis lands.
Bishop, the V17 Flamethrower and the Maverick
There is new gear to chase as well. The Bishop Runner shell is built around the fantasy of a fast, surgical blade-wielding robot, and two new weapons join the arsenal: the V17 Flamethrower, which brings the heat and short-range area denial, and the Maverick, a new revolver archetype with a hand-cannon feel. Between the shell and the weapons, Symbiosis is giving players new ways to build a Runner that plays the way they want.
Open Play Week: Try Marathon Free December 8–15
Open Play Week begins alongside Symbiosis’ launch on December 8, giving everyone the opportunity to experience Tau Ceti through December 15. On top of that, players who crew up with their Bungie, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam friends can earn a suite of limited-time rewards through December 22. It is the best possible on-ramp: a free week, a new PvE mode with no PvP threat, and rewards for playing with friends. If you have been watching Marathon from the sidelines, December 8 is the day to jump in.
Marathon’s cross play and cross save mean that crew is not limited by platform, either. The game runs on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam, and your progress follows you between them — so the friends you crew up with for the limited-time rewards can be on any of the three. It is a small detail, but it is the kind of thing that makes an Open Play Week actually work.
Watch the Marathon Symbiosis Trailer
Bungie has released an official gameplay trailer for Symbiosis — watch it here:
Source: Bungie’s Marathon Symbiosis announcement, via GamesPress. The full Symbiosis press kit is available from Bungie.
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