Marathon's second season goes live on June 2, 2026, and it brings a full seasonal reset, a week of free access, and a shift in how the extraction shooter plays. The headline change for many players is the arrival of PvE-focused modes, including one queue with no player-versus-player combat at all. Bungie is using the season to test softer entry points while keeping the core extraction loop intact.
Free-to-play week (June 2 to June 9)
To mark the season launch, Marathon is free to download and play for one week. The trial runs until June 9 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC through Steam. You can grab it from the relevant store page for your platform, where it appears as a free download for a limited time.
This is a trial, not a permanent free copy. Once the week ends on June 9, you need to purchase Marathon to keep playing if you haven't already bought it. Any progress you make during the free week carries over to your account, so the trial time is not wasted.
Two PvE-focused modes coming in Season 2
Marathon was built around competitive extraction, so removing the PvP element is a notable departure. Game director Joe Ziegler confirmed that Season 2 introduces two experimental queues centered on cooperative play rather than fighting other crews.
The first mode leans heavily toward PvE but keeps a light PvP element in the mix. The second mode strips out PvP entirely. In the fully PvE queue, crews are tasked with completing objectives together and making progress across matches. As Ziegler put it, these are options where you can "go full sweat or lean back and chill."
The change responds to direct feedback. Bungie has acknowledged that Marathon can feel overwhelming for newcomers, and that even experienced players can fall into a losing spiral that pushes them away. Kit-only queues on Perimeter and Dire Marsh were an earlier step in that direction, and the new PvE-focused modes take the experiment further.
Seasonal reset: What gets wiped and what stays
Every new season resets gameplay progression. When Season 1 ends, all items stored in your Vault are cleared, personalized Armoury access is removed, and Shells reset to factory standards. The goal is to put everyone back at the same starting point so the season opens on level footing.
Bungie's reasoning is that players should get to explore new content together rather than immediately facing fully kitted-out crews. The reset only touches gameplay progression. The table below shows what carries over and what does not.
| Resets at season start | Stays intact |
|---|---|
| Vault items | Achievements |
| Personalized Armoury access | Non-seasonal Codex progression |
| Runner Shells (back to factory standard) | Cosmetics |
Dire Marsh (Night) and new combat mechanics
Season 2 adds a night variant of the Dire Marsh map. It plays slower than the daytime version and leans into a survival-horror feel, with fewer players in a match and extra environmental hazards to manage.
A flashlight becomes essential at night. You need it to see, but turning it on also reveals your position to enemies, creating a trade-off between visibility and safety. The night map introduces new mechanics, new combatants, fresh locations, and new equipment built specifically for the darkness.
Sentinel Runner shell and abilities
The new Sentinel shell is a defensive specialist built for controlling space and holding ground. Its kit centers on area denial and protecting nearby teammates.
| Ability | Effect |
|---|---|
| Defender System (prime) | Deploys an automated laser platform that identifies and destroys incoming grenades and missiles, and boosts weapon handling for nearby crewmates. |
| Snare Mine (tactical) | A thrown, proximity-triggered mine that detonates into several immobilizing submunitions. |
| Castle Doctrine (passive) | Grants increased resistance after taking splash damage and faster close-range weapon handling when surrounded by enemies. |
| Prey Tracker (trait) | Activates a short-range motion-tracking system that reveals nearby moving targets on radar. |
New weapons: KKV-9SD SMG and D54 Battle Pistol
Season 2 introduces two new firearms. The KKV-9SD is a submachine gun, and the D54 is a battle pistol. Both expand the loadout options available alongside the night map and the Sentinel shell.
The Cradle and Matter Converter progression system
The Cradle is the new system for upgrading Runner shells throughout Season 2. You improve shell stats across six different categories to unlock more powerful perks, giving you more control over how a shell performs.
Feeding the Cradle is the Matter Converter, which turns weapons, equipment, and other items into experience. Higher-quality items yield more experience, so the better the gear you convert, the faster you progress your shells. Season 2 also raises progression rates for faction and Runner levels.
Some of the larger structural changes Bungie is exploring, including contract system revamps, a rotating Duos queue, a new matchmaking system, larger vaults, and a reworked onboarding flow, won't all land in Season 2. Several are slated for Season 3 later in 2026. For now, the free week and the two PvE-focused queues are the most direct ways to see how Marathon is shifting, and the trial gives you until June 9 to decide whether the new direction is worth buying into.