Marathon has forced seasonal wipes, Bungie confirms roadmap for new PvPvE extraction shooter

Bungie highlights the post-release seasonal content model for its new extraction shooter Marathon, giving players an idea of what to expect when the game drops tomorrow on March 5.

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Marathon will be here soon, and as the first new game since Sony's $3.7 billion acquisition of the developer, the $40 live shooter could be a make-or-break moment for the studio. Gamers are willing to bite, eager for more innovation in the extraction shooter space, and Bungie has outlined some of the ways that Marathon will set itself apart from games like Arc Raiders.

For one, Marathon will have forced seasonal wipes, meaning players can't keep the gear they've unlocked by playing. Paid and earned cosmetics will stay, though, as will player milestones. Contract progression will also remain intact so that gamers won't have to unlock the factions over again with each new season. The seasons in Marathon will be free and will last "about three months," Bungie says, so that's about 4 seasons per year if everything goes according to plan.

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Bungie explains:

"Everyone will start fresh each season with nothing to their name and the constant threat of death in a world more lethal and powerful than you are.

"Each season of Marathon brings a clean slate for the whole community with progression resets. These resets include everyone's gear, contract progression, faction progression, and player level.

"You'll keep your achievements and ways to express yourself. This includes cosmetics (earned and paid), titles, and other rewards you earn by playing and reaching milestones each season. Your Codex progression also carries over, as unburying the secrets of Tau Ceti takes time."

Marathon's first season is called First Step, and will introduce a new Cryo Archive zone, ranked mode, in-game events, patches, and even a new gun.

Bungie also touches on what's included in Marathon's second season, Nightfall, but those details remain more under wraps for now.

Be sure to check out the official blog post for more info, and Marathon is currently up for pre-order on Steam, PS5, and Xbox.