Sony’s CFO has stated that Marathon is expected to release by the end of March 2026, as Bungie’s independence from PlayStation Studios is now “getting lighter”
The statements came from CFO Lin Tao as part of a Q&A following Sony’s latest financial statements, in which she said that launch is still expected within the current fiscal year, ending on 31st March 2026. However, as this was in response to a question over what would happen if Marathon was cancelled outright, she added, “this is not a commitment. No official announcement has been given yet.”
She also said, “We are now doing modifications in development and, based on the progress, in the autumn time frame we believe we can communicate when we can launch [Marathon], either from Bungie or PlayStation.”
For Bungie as a studio, there’s been plenty of speculation and reporting over their independence and ability to operate separately from the rest of PlayStation Studios. Through 2024, the company went through a painful round of layoffs and game cancellations, while some teams were branched off into separate studios.
Tao explained Sony’s longterm plan for Bungie and that “at the time of acquisition we were offering a very independent environment, so that was one way of thinking. However, thereafter, we have gone through structural reform, as we announced last year, so this independence is getting lighter, and Bungie is shifting into a role which is becoming more part of PlayStation Studios, and integration is proceeding.
“So in the long term, if you can see this as an ongoing process, the direction is to become part of PlayStation Studios.”
It’s definitely concerning times for Bungie, with the launch of Destiny 2’s latest expansion, The Edge of Fate, seeming to do poorly, both from the point of sales and reaction from the game’s fanbase. Marathon was intended to be the big shining hope for the company, but the extraction shooter revamp of the studio’s mid-90s FPS series has struggled to gain traction. Having been announced for release in September, closed testing drew strong criticism such that Bungie was forced to delay the game. There was also a whole art plagiarism scandal.
“Through every comment and real-time conversation on social media and Discord, your voice has been strong and clear,” the team wrote in a Marathon Development Update in June. “We’ve taken this to heart, and we know we need more time to craft Marathon into the game that truly reflects your passion.”
It’s expected that Bungie will be able to make fresh announcements on the game this autumn.
via VGC
