Bungie’s Marathon Still On Track for FY25 Release Despite Controversy and Setbacks

Image: Marathon/Bungie

Marathon, the upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter from Bungie, remains on track for release in the 2025 fiscal year despite facing multiple setbacks, including plagiarism accusations and a reported mixed reception from internal playtests.

Originally seen as Bungie’s big leap forward following Destiny 2’s stagnation, Marathon was supposed to help the studio reestablish itself as a major force in the live-service space. However, development hit a major bump when an independent artist accused the studio of stealing artwork that made it into trailers and promotional materials. Notably, Bungie admitted that a former employee had used the artist’s work without permission, prompting the studio to pause all marketing efforts and scrub the game of any related assets.

Speculation quickly spread that the game might be delayed or even canceled, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. According to a business presentation held by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) on June 13, 2025 (via IGN), Marathon is still listed for a “FY25” launch — which means it’s currently expected to release before March 31, 2026. This information was shared by SIE CEO Hideaki Nishino and Hermen Hulst, the head of Sony’s Studio Business Group, making it a credible update on the game’s status.

The slide where Marathon appears alongside other live-service titles like Destiny 2, Helldivers 2, and Fairgame$ also emphasizes Sony’s continued commitment to live-service development, even amid recent stumbles in the space. In fact, Marathon showed up on multiple slides, with one describing it as “Bungie’s bold and innovative new title” with a focus on “strong early engagement.”

Still, the road ahead doesn’t look entirely smooth. According to IGN, Hermen Hulst admitted during the same presentation that feedback from Marathon’s recent alpha test was “varied.” But he was quick to point out that this feedback loop — testing, iterating, and retesting — is part of the process for building a successful live-service title.

Hulst also stressed that Sony has learned from the failure of Concord, a recent live-service shooter that flopped dramatically and led to the closure of its developer, Firewalk Studios. He stated that Sony has since implemented more rigorous development checks and is being more cautious about validating creative and commercial ideas.

“We’re really excited for Marathon. It’s the first new Bungie IP in over a decade,” said Hulst. He emphasized that the team is actively working through test cycles and using data and feedback to refine the game ahead of launch.

Notably, Hulst did not comment on the plagiarism incident, which remains a sensitive subject.

For now, players can expect Marathon to arrive before April 2026 — though how it will be received is still very much up in the air.