Bungie has outlined the launch and seasonal structure for its upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon. The game is designed with a seasonal progression reset model, meaning all players will lose their gear, contract progression, faction progression, and player level every few months.
Seasonal Progression Resets Explained
While core progression will reset, players will retain their achievements, cosmetics, titles, and other milestone rewards, along with their Codex progression. Crucially, Liaison contract progression will also carry over, eliminating the need to re-unlock factions each season.
Bungie stated that these seasonal resets are intended to maintain game danger, ensure loot remains meaningful, and facilitate entry for new or returning players.
Launch Content: Season 1 'First Step'
Marathon launches on March 5 with Season 1, 'First Step', which includes:
- All six factions, including Sekiguchi Genetics.
- All six launch Runner shells, such as Thief.
- Three zones, with the Outpost zone becoming available the day after launch, requiring Runner Level 12.
- 28 weapons, accompanied by mods, implants, and cores for crafting builds.
- Earnable cosmetics, achievements, and storytelling elements through the Codex.
Season 1 will also feature a community objective to unlock access to orbit and the fourth zone, Cryo Archive. Ranked mode is scheduled to unlock during the second half of March, offering exclusive rewards.
Upcoming Content: Season 2 'Nightfall'
Season 2, 'Nightfall', will introduce:
- A nighttime variant of the Dire Marsh zone.
- A new Runner shell.
- New weapons, mods, cores, and contracts.
- The 'Cradle' system, designed to provide players with more control over their Runner shell’s statistical strengths and weaknesses.