Bungie has officially confirmed major changes are coming to Marathon, including the addition of multiple PvE-focused modes as the studio attempts to address declining player retention.

After roughly three months on the market, Marathon continues pulling in around tens of thousands of daily players, but activity has noticeably dropped compared to launch.

Now Bungie says it has identified several core problems affecting the extraction shooter’s long-term health.

Bungie Identifies Four Major Problems

According to Bungie, feedback from players highlighted four primary issues currently hurting Marathon:

• The game is difficult for new players to learn
• Losing repeatedly without a coordinated team feels punishing
• Endgame balance has significant problems
• The game lacks calmer or alternative gameplay experiences

These concerns have apparently pushed Bungie toward experimenting with major structural changes beginning with Season 2.

Marathon Finally Getting PvE Modes

One of the biggest changes is the introduction of new PvE-focused experiences.

This is especially notable because Bungie previously insisted Marathon would remain heavily PvP-oriented, arguing that player unpredictability was essential to the extraction shooter formula.

That stance now appears to be evolving.

Season 2 Adds Two New PvE Experiences

Season 2, titled Nightfall, launches on June 2 and introduces two experimental PvE modes.

The first mode is described as:

• a “PvE-lite” experience,
• focused mostly on environmental enemies,
• while still containing lighter PvP interactions.

Later in the season, Bungie will introduce:

• a fully PvE-focused mode,
• allowing players to complete objectives cooperatively,
• progress together across matches,
• and avoid direct PvP pressure entirely.

For many players who were interested in Marathon’s world but not constant extraction shooter stress, this could become a major turning point.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Games for May 2026 Revealed

Bungie Still Experimenting With Marathon’s Identity

Interestingly, Bungie says these modes are still considered experiments for now.

The studio plans to continue testing:

• additional playlists,
• different matchmaking structures,
• more PvP-focused alternatives,
• and new gameplay loops in future seasons.

Some of these experimental modes could eventually become permanent additions to the game.

Season 3 Will Rework the New Player Experience

Bungie also confirmed that Season 3 will heavily revise Marathon’s onboarding systems after receiving large amounts of criticism regarding how overwhelming the game feels for beginners.

The studio plans to:

• improve tutorials,
• reduce early frustration,
• and make the initial hours less punishing.

Bungie Outlines Long-Term Marathon Roadmap

Despite player concerns, Bungie says Marathon still has a multi-season future planned.

The roadmap currently looks like this:

Season 2

• New PvE modes
• Expanded content plans
• Sentinel and Night Marsh additions

Season 3

• Core gameplay revisions
• Improved onboarding
• New Runner shell

Season 4

• Expanded extraction loop depth
• More long-term progression systems

Season 5

• Larger PvPvE world evolution
• New sci-fi systems and mechanics

Can PvE Save Marathon?

That’s now the big question.

A lot of players actually liked Marathon’s atmosphere, visuals, gunplay, and Bungie’s trademark movement systems — but many bounced off the relentless extraction PvP pressure and lack of casual-friendly options.

By finally introducing PvE-focused content, Bungie may be opening the game to an entirely different audience that previously avoided it altogether.

Whether players actually return though… that’s going to be the real test.