In June, Sony made the tough decisionto delay the release of Bungie’s extraction shooter Marathonindefinitely. It wasn’t just because of issues that arose on social media of accusations of plagiaraism, but even the gameplay reveal for the game wasn’t exactly met with excitement among the shooter community.
Today, as part of Sony’s quarterly financial report, the electronics giant confirmed that Marathon is still set for release before March 2026.
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Alongside that, a recent statement from a company executive has also confirmed that Bungie will be monitored more closely by Sony, which is a stark contrast to the independence enjoyedwhen the studio was acquired.
Sony Exec Says Bungie’s Independence Is “Getting Lighter”
In a Q&A session following Sony’s latest financials report, Sony executives were asked about the state of Marathon following the delay.
Sony was also asked about an update on Bungie management, as well as what the company would do in the worst-case scenario that Marathon was to be canceled completely.
Sony CFO Lin Tao answered for Sony and confirmed that Marathon is still set to be released in the current fiscal year, which ends on August 07, 2025.
Tao mentioned (via an interpreter), “First, about Marathon, how we factored it in the forecast, we expect the launch to happen within the fiscal year. But, having said that, this is not a commitment. No official announcement has been given yet.”
The exec adds that they are doing “modifications” in development, and they are targeting a window in the next three months to communicate about the game’s future.
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Commenting about Bungie, Tao confirmed they are aiming to integrate the entire studio into PlayStation Studios completely.
“About the governance of Bungie, at the time of acquisition we were offering a very independent environment, so that was one way of thinking. However, thereafter, we have gone through structural reform, as we announced last year, so this independence is getting lighter, and Bungie is shifting into a role which is becoming more part of PlayStation Studios, and integration is proceeding,” Tao commented (viaVGC).
“So in the long term, if you can see this as an ongoing process, the direction [for Bungie] is to become part of PlayStation Studios,” Tao added, confirming Bungie’s independence will be plucked away completely at some point.
For now, Marathon is not in any danger of getting canceled, as Tao said they are now “fixing the problems,” so they believe the launch will happen, though they’re not expecting it.
It’s been a rocky road for Bungie’s first game after Destiny 2. After years of development, Bungie unveiled Marathon this year with a deep gameplay look that failed to generate the sort of hype that they were expecting.
Since then, the game ran intootherissuesthat finally convinced the studio to delay the gamefrom its initial September 23 release date. Interestingly enough, a report surfaced stating that the game’s delay was a surpriseeven to Bungie devs.
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WHERE TO PLAY
From the creators of Halo and Destiny…Scavenge the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV in Bungie’s team-based FPS extraction shooter. Choose your Runner and work together in crews of three as you battle rival teams and hostile security forces for weapons and upgrades. Survive and your loot is yours to keep for future runs on Tau Ceti—or if you’re brave enough, a journey to the derelict Marathon ship that hangs above.Become a Runner:Choose from a roster of cybernetic mercenaries with unique abilities. Customize your playstyle with the weapons, implants, and equipment you collect on your runs. Every match is a chance to experiment, buildcraft, and come back stronger.Welcome to Tau Ceti IV:What once was a thriving colony is now a battleground for rival factions competing for power and fortune, hiring Runners to track down weapons, valuables, and the edge they need to win.Fun and competitive at all skill levels:Bungie’s best-in-class first person gunplay makes playing at every skill level satisfying. With multiple maps to choose from, you can sharpen your skills in starter areas, then challenge yourself in high-stakes zones and Ranked mode in season one.
