Marathon guide: All Runners, weapons, maps, and more explained

Marathon is Bungie’s bold return to the sci-fi shooter genre with a unique extraction-based game. This game reimagines the studio's classic 1994 title of the same name. With fast movement, unique visuals, and a heavy focus on class-based strategy, the first gameplay reveal gained quite a positive reception from the gaming community. Since then, the hype has only grown as players discover more information about the game.

On that note, here’s everything you need to know about Marathon.

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Marathon: Everything you need to know

The gameplay reveal event was hosted live from the Bungie HQ on April 12, 2025. The livestream showcased various things about the game and also announced the launch of its official Discord server. The server and the X account of the game have revealed a lot of information about it so far.

The title is expected to be priced at $40 and will likely include a battle pass, seasonal content, and a cosmetics shop as well. As of now, pre-orders aren't available.

Important dates

The first Closed Alpha test of Marathon begins on April 23, 2025, and ends on May 4, 2025. It is open only to PC players from North America who are 18 years or older. While console players and other regions aren’t included this time, Bungie has mentioned that more tests will come in the future.

The full release of Marathon is scheduled for September 23, 2025. The game will launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

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All Runners

All Runners revealed during the showcase (Image via Bungie)

Marathon will feature six Runners at launch, though only four have been revealed so far during the early Alpha stages. These Runners are essentially the playable classes, each with unique abilities and mechanics:

• Blackbird: A scouting specialist who is great at recon and tracking enemies from a distance. Blackbird thrives in support and flanking roles.
• Locus: Built for aggressive players who love head-on fights. Locus brings heavy firepower through missiles and can deploy protective barricades as well.
• Void: A stealth-focused Runner who uses smoke and camouflage to stay hidden and strike when least expected. Void excels at flanking, ambushes, and quietly escaping dangerous situations.
• Glitch: A fast and chaotic Runner who can reposition and disrupt the enemy positions with ease. Glitch is great for strategic players who are good at decision-making.

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All maps

Several unique maps have already been shown, each with different player capacities and tactical layouts. During the game's upcoming Closed Alpha testing, the following maps will be available:

• Dire Marsh: Supports 18 players split across 6 teams of 3.
• Perimeter: Supports 15 players split across 5 teams of 3.
• Outpost: Supports 9–12 players split across teams of 3.
• UESC Marathon: Player count details to be revealed.

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All confirmed weapons and rarities

Based on various livestreams and observations, the following weapons have been confirmed so far for the game:

• BRRT_SMG
• Bully_SMG
• CE_Tactical_Sidearm
• Conquest_LMG
• Hardline_PR
• Longshot
• M77_Assault_Rifle
• Magnum_MC
• Overrun_AR
• Repeater_HPR
• Twin_Tap_HPR
• V00_ZEUS_RG
• V11_Punch
• V22_Volt_Thrower
• V95_Lookout
• WSTR_Combat_Shotgun

There will also be weapon rarities based on colors: gray (Standard), green (Enhanced), blue (Deluxe), purple (Superior), and gold (Prestige).

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Extraction system and environment

The extraction of the Xfill is the key objective of the game. The Xfill beacons are guarded by the UESC enemies (NPCs), and once they're activated, the whole server is notified. The Xfill beacons do not have a fixed spawn point. If the timer hits zero, a single final beacon point appears, leading to chaotic endgame fights.

There are various environmental hazards that players have to survive in the game. Lightning strikes can directly hit players, tearing through shields and health. Additionally, toxic runes and other negative status effects exist as well. The weather of the game is partially dynamic, and does not change significantly throughout a match.

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That's about everything you need to know about the upcoming sci-fi shooter by Bungie. Considering the game is still in its Alpha stage, some elements and features are subject to change with the final release in September 2025.

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Here are some more articles related to the game:

• When did the original Marathon game release?
• How to get the Marathon Twitch badge?
• Marathon Alpha servers went live early on Xbox, but Bungie has shut it down now