One of 2026's first big game releases is Marathon, Bungie's extraction shooter reboot of its cult classic '90s sci-fi FPS franchise. It's the first new game from the studio since Destiny 2, and it has the potential to become one of this year's biggest, most-popular games.
It's available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 for $39.99, but if you're on PC, don't buy it on Steam — at least not directly. You can pick a Steam key for the game up for just $33.89 at Loaded (formerly CDKeys) thanks to a sweet deal the retailer is running, and the $59.99 Deluxe Edition is selling for only $50.79 at Loaded as well.
The Marathon hype is real
Last year, faith in Marathon was at an all-time low, with Bungie facing a severe art theft controversy as well as significant negative feedback from players that tried out the game's alpha playtest. Following a lengthy delay and a significant revamp that brought numerous changes and additions, though, the game completely rebounded and reignited excitement for the extraction shooter.
Now, just a few days after the popular Marathon Server Slam beta test, Marathon's release date and launch times are upon us — and it's already a top seller. Indeed, at the time of writing, Marathon is the second best-selling game on Steam's Top Sellers list. It's only below Resident Evil Requiem, and notably, it's above the industry-dominating ARC Raiders.
Marathon is the first new PvPvE shooter to rival ARC Raiders in the extraction shooter genre, with both games targeting the wider audiences turned off by the extremely hardcore systems of Escape from Tarkov. Both games are more approachable, though where ARC Raiders encourages more dynamic social encounters, Marathon is generally all about getting into action-packed engagements with other players or AI-controlled UESC forces and coming out on top to collect the spoils of war.
The extremely satisfying gunplay of Bungie's Destiny series is baked into Marathon's DNA, which in turn makes these encounters as addicting to get into as they are lethal. A variety of different Runner (player) "shells" to choose from that each have unique abilities, strengths, and weaknesses add depth and playmaking potential to the sandbox, with boss fights and special events in the maps designed to keep players on their toes.
Like other extraction shooters, Marathon maintains a high-risk, high-reward gameplay loop by letting you go on runs with gear you collected in previous raids, but removing it from your inventory if you die before you're able to extract. Similar to ARC Raiders' free loadouts, though, it features sponsored kits from the game's factions that give you a basic loadout of loot, ensuring failed runs aren't too punishing.
Speaking of factions, completing special quests for them is the main way you'll be progressing Marathon's story as you scavenge the lost colony world of Tau Ceti IV and attempt to uncover everything that's happened to the UESC Marathon colony ship. These quests reward you with lore and narrative developments as well as loot for your vault.
Similar to other live-service games, Marathon will also feature seasons, with the developers recently detailing how they'll work. They'll last about three months or so, and will add new shells, maps, guns, loot, and more over time, free for all players to access; the end of each season will wipe all vaults so everyone can begin the next one with an even baseline, though permanent upgrades will persist and raise your power floor.
To be honest, I've never been much of a PvP guy, but even I had a pretty great time playing Marathon with my friends during the Server Slam. Thus, I'm stoked to jump back in with my squad, and thanks to this deal, you can get in on the action for just $33.89 at Loaded.
FAQ
Is Marathon free to play?
No, Marathon isn't a free-to-play game. Across Xbox Series X|S, Steam PC, and PS5, it costs $39.99 — which is precisely why I recommend taking advantage of the above deal.
Is Marathon on Xbox Game Pass?
No, Marathon is not available on Microsoft's gaming service Xbox Game Pass. Given that PlayStation maker Sony acquired Bungie in 2022, I highly doubt we'll ever see anything from Bungie come to Game Pass either.
Does Marathon have crossplay or cross-platform play?
Marathon fully supports crossplay (or cross-platform play) between Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5. If you choose to disable it, you'll only be able to match with players on the same platform as yours.
Does Marathon have cross-save or cross-progression?
Bungie has confirmed that Marathon supports cross-save (or cross-progression) across Xbox, PC, and PS5, but only if you link your Bungie account to each platform you play the game on. Bungie explains how to do this here.
Is Loaded legit and safe?
Yes, Loaded (formerly CDKeys) is a perfectly legitimate and safe retailer to use to get game keys. The Windows Central team uses and highly recommends Loaded because of how often it offers great deals like this one.
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