Marathon F2P Rumors Debunked; Pricing Reveal Set for Summer

Marathon will not be a free-to-play game but will be a premium title. Read on to learn more about Marathon's pricing and why the developers opted not to include proximity chat.

Marathon Development Updates

Marathon Will Not Be Free-To-Play

Marathon Director confirmed that the game will not be free-to-play, but will be a premium title. Bungie, Marathon's developer, held a live gameplay showcase on April 13 where they announced the game's release date and unveiled a new gameplay trailer. However, the developers have yet to reveal the game's price, leaving fans curious about its monetization strategy.

In an episode of the Friends Per Second podcast on April 14, Marathon Director Joe Ziegler clarified that the game is not a free-to-play title. He stated, "We’re hoping that what we’re showing is exciting enough that someone is going to take the leap with us, but we are also committed to delivering on seasons past this that will continuously offer to evolve the game without an increase to the box price."

Ziegler expressed confidence in the game's current state of enjoyability and affirmed the team's dedication to making it exceptional. He noted, "Everyone’s got their own definition of what is the right price."

Fans have been actively speculating on social media about Marathon's potential price range. However, Bungie clarified via a Twitter (X) post on April 13 that Marathon will not be a full-priced title but a premium one, with more details on its pricing to be announced this summer.

Marathon Will Not Have Proximity Chat

Proximity chat, a feature that allows players to hear others based on their in-game proximity, has become increasingly popular in multiplayer games. It enhances the interactive and immersive experience but can also introduce toxicity due to the mixed bag of players online.

This concern led Bungie to exclude proximity chat from Marathon. In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Ziegler explained the decision, stating, "When it comes to prox chat, I don't think we're against the experience of it, to be fair. I think the challenge is how to make sure we're creating a safe environment for players inside of that space."

Ziegler emphasized the team's commitment to creating a safe space for players and acknowledged the lack of a viable solution to mitigate the toxicity associated with proximity chat. While this omission may limit interactions with opposing teams and strategic negotiations on maps, especially in an extraction shooter like Marathon, Bungie has yet to find the perfect solution. Ziegler added, "I think that's where we stand right now. Like, if it was magical and we could somehow come up with that solution, I think we totally would do it. But right now, it is a challenge that many companies are trying to figure out."

Marathon is scheduled for release on September 23, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with the latest information about the game by checking out our article below!