Bungie delays Marathon Season 3, moves major update to December
Bungie has delayed Marathon Season 3 just days before it was due to launch.
The next major update, announced for 22 September, will now arrive on 8 December as part of an update called Symbiosis. Eurogamer reported the change on 14 September 2026, following an update from Bungie. That leaves eight days between the announcement and the planned launch.
The wait affects Season 3 itself and everything that was due to launch with it. That includes the full permanent PvE mode. PvE stands for player-versus-environment, a version of the game where people face computer-controlled enemies rather than each other. Permanent means it stays available, rather than rotating in and out. Bungie had lined it up as a headline addition for September. It will now wait until December.
The Symbiosis update on 8 December is planned to gather the delayed September material in one place. It is due to include the permanent PvE mode, a new Runner shell, the armoured suit that acts as the player's character in a run, and a social space where players can meet and test weapons together. Bungie also lists a refreshed Perimeter zone, one of the game's play areas, and an experimental team deathmatch mode, where small teams compete to score the most kills, as part of the release.
Players will not wait empty-handed until December. Marathon will receive a smaller update on 6 October. It resets progression and the in-game economy, which wipes earned levels and resources for a fresh start for everyone, and adds a new Rewards Pass, the track of items unlocked through continued play. Resets of this kind are common in online games built around repeated runs and seasonal progress.
Bungie is also moving away from a strict seasonal schedule. Major updates will no longer be tied to fixed seasonal deadlines, the studio said in its post on the changes Bungie. In practice, that breaks the link between the calendar and the content drop. A season no longer guarantees a large release on a set date.
For fans, this means a longer wait for the most requested additions. The October reset still gives regular players a reason to return. December is now the date to watch.
