Bungie Lead Highlights ’90s Futurism Influence on Marathon, Inspired by Iconic PlayStation Ads and Translucent DualShocks

If Marathon were a person, it would definitely be the type to roam the streets after 1 AM. Its characters sport chunky, neon helmets that give off serious grasshopper vibes at a festival, and the official soundtrack is packed with electronica that feels right at home in a humid basement. According to Bungie’s global franchise director, Philip Asher, this upcoming extraction shooter draws heavy inspiration from the wildness of the late ’90s.

Asher shared these insights in a Twitter conversation with Michael Douse, the publishing director at Larian, who is currently focused on the Divinity series. While that franchise leans into a different kind of debauchery reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire, Douse noted that Marathon evokes memories of the vibrant club culture that defined the UK PlayStation scene in the ’90s and early 2000s, complete with bright colors and high-speed thrills.

Asher concurred, stating, “We’re deeply inspired by that era’s futurism and how we can pull it forward to today’s fashion/club/design scene.” He specifically mentioned the vibrant aesthetics of the 1995 racing game “Wipeout,” the iconic PS ads from that time (like the memorable “Mental Wealth”), and the translucent DualShock controllers as significant influences.

I’m particularly curious about how the “Mental Wealth” campaign will resonate in Marathon. This ad is one of the most notorious PlayStation promotions from the late ’90s, a time when new video game companies often embraced the bizarre.

The ad featured young Scottish actress Fiona Maclaine, whose face was transformed into a balloon animal-like alien with pigtails, delivering a monologue urging viewers to “forget progress by proxy. Land on your own moon.” This makes me wonder if Marathon will include a similar motivational theme or feature characters that look like they’re about to float away.

Bungie has also addressed a pre-order glitch in Marathon that amusingly caused Destiny 2 to start installing on Steam, leading to some lighthearted reactions: “Like something out of The Onion.”