Marathon Offers Free Week as Bungie Aims for Season 2 Comeback

Players of Marathon have been eagerly requesting a free trial for the extraction shooter, and it seems the studio is finally responding to those calls with the launch of season 2. The sci-fi title will be available for free for one week, allowing all Marathon enthusiasts, like myself, to convince friends to give it a try.

“Season 2 kicks off on June 2 with an Open Play Week from June 2 to June 9,” the studio announced in a recent blog update. “During this week, the full game will be accessible on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, and any progress made will carry over into Season 2. This is a perfect opportunity to team up with friends, as everyone will start fresh.”

While the studio stops short of labeling this “Open Play Week” as free, that’s essentially what it is. Players will need their console’s paid subscription for online multiplayer access, but PC players can enjoy the game without any additional costs.

Marathon previously had a free beta before its official launch, but that only featured a limited version of the game, restricting access to certain maps and runner shells, with progress reset at launch. This new trial period aims to give potential players a clearer idea of what Marathon has to offer, hopefully drawing them in with that initial sense of progression and the thrill of their first loot extraction.

And let’s be honest, Marathon could really benefit from some new players. Observers have noted a steady decline in concurrent player numbers throughout season 1, dropping from an initial peak of 80,000 to around 10,000 now. While this drop is expected at the end of a season, reports indicate that the game is currently struggling to meet expectations, especially as the studio prepares to wind down its flagship title.

“Engagement metrics such as retention also remain at a high level,” it was mentioned during the last earnings call. “Moving forward, we aim to enhance the game’s performance by retaining our highly engaged core users through new content, improvements to the gameplay experience, and expanding the user base.”

The studio appears committed to Marathon at least through its first year, with plans for storytelling that extend well beyond that.