Bungie announces new Marathon PvE mode, an experimental roguelite

With Bungie winding down development on Destiny 2 and the studio being hit hard by layoffs, all eyes are on Marathon to keep the developer going. Bungie will attempt to mix things up in its extraction shooter next week with a new update that introduces an experimental PvE mode called Vault Breaker.

Marathon version 1.1.5, coming on July 21 as part of a mid-season update, will add the Vault Breaker mode to the game. According to Bungie, the mode will send Runners into the Cryo Archive for a new “roguelite PvE experience.” Players will “take on progressively tougher Vaults across multiple runs,” Bungie says, acquiring Vault Data to upgrade their Sponsored Kit “or spend that progress on gear in the new Vault Breaker Armory that features weapons, items, and more that you can bring back to your other adventures across Tau Ceti.” Players will be able to take on vaults solo, as a duo, or with a full trio.

Here’s how Bungie describes the new mode:

Vault Breakers utilize hit-and-run tactics to master the secrets of the Marathon’s Cryo Archive. They travel light and target the Archive’s many vaults in search of valuable loot and deeper access throughout the deck.

Vault Breakers’ strategic deployments challenge the UESC’s jurisdiction aboard the Marathon—applying constant pressure to defend the zone against Runner incursions. They strike during “quiet” moments—while rival crews are focused on Tau Ceti IV—to keep the UESC off guard and to maneuver with more focus, free of the chaos of a contested zone.

Vault Breaker will run from July 21 through Aug. 4. Marathon‘s full PvE mode is still to come, and is slated to arrive in season 3. Here’s a brief look at what’s in store:

More details on Marathon‘s mid-season 2 update are available at Bungie.net.

Marathon is available now on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. Season 2, Nightfall, is currently ongoing.