Marathon will be "growing beyond extraction." That's what Bungie say in a new blog post outlining the future of the shooter, after announcing earlier this week that they'll be bringing back vaulted Destiny 2 campaigns. "Marathon launched as a cutthroat, winner-takes-all PvEvP experience," they explain. "We want to preserve that thrill for the players who enjoy it, while creating more ways for others to experience the world and find the level of challenge that works for them."

Part of this, the blog continues, is building upon those other modes, notably the long-promised PvE that's coming as part of the game's (recently delayed and de-seasonified) next major update, Symbiosis, as well as a PvP, experimental Team Deathmatch mode. Details are slim on the PvE mode, but the Team Deathmatch mode will apparently offer a "direct, lower-commitment way to sharpen your skills and compete without putting a full run at risk."

A few details were shared regarding the game's next shell, Bishop; it's a "high-performance robot samurai," and a "fast, surgical hunter-killer built around speed, surprise, and devastating bursts of melee damage." Perimeter will also be getting a massive visual overhaul, replete with a fungus infection that'll apparently radically change the zone, with some new routes opened up and a stronger identity contrasted against the game's other zones. An entirely new zone will apparently be coming in March, too.

Beyond that is a feature that I personally feel the game has been lacking the most: a social hub. This also seemingly won't be coming until March, and it'll be presented under the guise of a "CyAc-sponsored social space with a built-in firing range where players will be able to meet, prepare, test weapons and abilities, and get comfortable with their shell under ONI’s watchful eye."

All of this is quite clearly Bungie trying to broaden Marathon's appeal. What was billed as a cutthroat extraction shooter will seemingly morph into a predominantly standard live service affair, one where the extraction element is just one mode amongst several. It makes sense given how Destiny functioned, it's just frustrating that it has to be an everything shooter because a certain someone (cough, Sony, cough) spent too much money on a game that was released at a time that's harder than ever for live service.