Bungie announced Season 2 of its extraction shooter Marathon, launching June 2 alongside a free play week running through June 9. Console players will still need online subscriptions to access the free period. This follows recent updates addressing co-op gameplay and new player experience concerns that emerged after launch.

The season introduces Dire Marsh, a new zone featuring obscured sight lines and mysterious threats lurking in darkness. Players gain access to the Sentinel Runner shell, equipped with automated laser defenses and proximity mines. Two new weapons arrive: the KKV-9SD compact SMG with 1200 RPM fire rate and the D54 Battle Pistol designed for close-quarters combat. These additions aim to deepen tactical options and encourage build experimentation through new chip and mod rarities.

Technical improvements include 512 grid space Vault capacity, batch item selection, and enhanced weapon upgrade filtering. A privacy mode hides usernames while frame generation and CPU optimizations boost performance. The controversial wipe resets Vault contents and shells to factory standards, though cosmetics and achievements persist. Duos queues return for multiple zones, offering smaller squad gameplay that many players requested during the game's troubled launch period.

Marathon's Season 2 represents Bungie's attempt to stabilize its struggling live-service shooter through substantial content additions and quality-of-life fixes that address core community complaints.