Bungie calls the mode "PVP-lite".
Marathon will kick off its second season — and its first free-to-play trial week — with a new mode called Sponsored Survival, which developer Bungie has termed “PVP-lite”.
“This new experimental mode lands somewhere in between [full sweat or chill], and is a more PVP-lite and low risk way to play Marathon than typical runs,” Bungie said, detailing the mode.
“In Sponsored Survival, a single crew will infil onto the new Night Marsh zone,” the studio continued. “They’ll start as the only players on the map and can explore, loot, and blast their flashlights without fear of repercussion… from PVP enemies anyways. The UESC will still be there in full force, as will some new enemies that lurk in the shadows.”
Eventually, individual Rooks will begin to populate the space, and it’s up to all players on the map as to how everyone then proceeds. Does everyone continue looting and pillaging without getting into firefights with other players, or do Rooks team up to try to take down the only three-person team on the map? Time will tell.
The mode will feature an 18-minute timer and just one single exfil point… meaning the end of a match will certainly be interesting.
Marathon Season 1 is currently available on Windows PC, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PS5; season 2 kicks off tomorrow. We reviewed it here.
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Marathon6 March 2026PC PS5 Xbox Series S & X
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