Bungie has provided new details on the future of its extraction shooter, Marathon, following a period of quiet amidst studio-wide layoffs. The immediate focus is a mid-season update arriving next week, which will introduce "Vault Breaker," an experimental PvE version of the game's end-game map, Cryo Archive. This mode is set to run from July 21 through August 4. The developers have also committed to delivering a more comprehensive PvE experience in the fall, slated to arrive with Season 3.
Vault Breaker is described as Bungie's first foray into an experimental PvE mode. The development team intends to closely monitor player feedback and data gathered during its run to inform future iterations. This initial PvE offering is essentially a reconfigured Cryo Archive, stripped of its PvP elements and designed to allow players to earn rewards without impacting the game's multiplayer loot economy. The promise of a "full" PvE mode in Season 3 suggests Bungie is developing a more fundamentally redesigned version of Marathon that will not feature human opponents.
The mid-season refresh also includes several sandbox adjustments. The WSTR Combat Shotgun will receive buffs, while the D54 Battle Pistol will be nerfed. Significant changes are also being made to grenades and bubble shields. Players will now be limited to carrying only two of a single type of consumable or one of each if carrying two different types. This adjustment aims to reduce repetitive gameplay during high-level engagements, as feedback indicated that "spam is still an issue on Cryo and that Bubble Shields are flattening high level combat."
Season 3, featuring the larger PvE mode, is expected to launch sometime after September 22. Players who have not yet completed Cryo Archive and its boss fight will have an opportunity to experience its peak level and encounter design moments through Vault Breaker. The progression path for Vault Breaker is noted as being somewhat convoluted.