Marathon won't be free-to-play—it's launching as a premium game. Here's what we know about pricing and why proximity chat was ultimately scrapped.
Latest Marathon Development News
Marathon Confirmed as Premium Title
The Marathon development team has officially ruled out a free-to-play model. During Bungie's April 13 gameplay showcase, featuring a new trailer and release date announcement, the studio remained tight-lipped about pricing—though they did confirm a premium business model.
Marathon Director Joe Ziegler expanded on this decision during an April 14 Friends Per Second podcast episode: "We're confident our gameplay justifies the premium approach. The base purchase includes ongoing seasonal content at no additional cost—we're committed to evolving the experience without raising the initial price."
Ziegler emphasized the team's focus on delivering exceptional value: "Pricing reflects quality—we know players have different expectations, and we're ensuring Marathon meets them." Following fan speculation across social media, Bungie clarified via Twitter/X that while not full-priced, Marathon will maintain premium positioning, with complete pricing details coming this summer.
Proximity Chat Omitted From Marathon
While proximity voice chat has become standard in many multiplayer games—enhancing immersion by letting players communicate based on in-game distance—Bungie has chosen to exclude this feature from Marathon.
In a PC Gamer interview, Ziegler explained this controversial decision: "It's not about rejecting proximity chat's potential, but about prioritizing player safety. Without robust moderation solutions, the risks outweigh the benefits." The team couldn't find reliable methods to prevent toxic interactions while preserving the feature's positive aspects.
Ziegler acknowledged this impacts gameplay depth in an extraction shooter: "We recognize players lose tactical negotiation opportunities." However, until developers industry-wide solve toxicity challenges, Marathon will launch without proximity chat. "If magical solutions existed, we'd implement them—but currently no company has cracked this puzzle."
Marathon arrives September 23, 2025 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for further updates as we approach launch.
