Marathon finally locks in its release date, and it’s very soon, as Bungie highlights big changes made from alpha feedback

Bungie’s upcoming extraction shooter Marathon is finally ready for release, thanks in large part to a ton of feedback from the game’s closed tests.

Earlier this year, Marathon’s closed alpha test was met with lukewarm responses, to say the least. Since then, the team has been hard at work iterating on feedback and preparing it for launch after it was delayed out of its initial drop date in September.

Marathon is now confirmed to be coming in March 2026, so the wait is really not much longer at all. And in the ViDoc above, the team highlighted what’s different and improved from previous tests, including proximity chat, a solo queue, improved visuals, and enhancements to the “survival experience, immersion, and danger of the world.”

Many of the alpha’s main complaints have been addressed, specifically the lack of proximity chat (which has been a huge pull in fellow extraction shooter ARC Raiders), world-building and atmosphere in general, and the game’s visual fidelity when it came to outdoors areas. The game is built to feel more dangerous now, too, upping the stakes that you would expect in the genre.

Bungie is already teasing Cryo Archive as a new map placed on the Marathon ship itself. The devs say “if you’re not ready to take your best stuff, well, you’re not gonna survive.” This is in addition to several other existing maps that have already been playable such as Perimeter, Dire Marsh, and Outpost.

The studio confirmed that Marathon will launch at $39.99, which puts it at the same price at another extraction shooter like ARC Raiders. The studio says there are no pay-to-win mechanics, and gameplay outcomes are never determined by spending, plus cosmetic reward passes will not expire, and players will be able to buy past ones if they join late.

Marathon is now just a few months away from release. Judging by the ViDoc, it seems as though the game is in a way better place than it was a year ago. Are you interested in it now, judging by what’s been shown? Let us know in the comments below.

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Call of Duty grinders, the wait for competitive play is just a bit longer, but it’s well on the way.

Ranked Play in Black Ops 7 is not available at launch, but it’s coming before you know it. When it arrives, multiplayer gamers will have all sorts of ranks and rewards to earn as they level up and climb the competitive ladder.

Here’s everything we know about Ranked Play in BO7, including when to expect it.

When is BO7 Ranked Play coming out?

According to Treyarch and Activision, Ranked Play will be available as part of season two of BO7. The start date for season two is not official yet, but according to the season one battle pass’s in-game countdown timer, it should be on Feb. 5, 2026.

CoD seasons last about two months long, and season one began on Dec. 4, 2025. While Feb. 5 is not set in stone, it’s a likely date alongside Feb. 12 or even Feb. 19 depending on if it gets delayed or not (which is, unfortunately, always a possibility). When this season is live, Ranked Play will be live along with it.

Season two will also bring everything that CoD players expect from seasonal drops, like new weapons, new maps, new Zombies experiences, new Warzone modes, and even updates for the PvE Endgame activity. But Ranked Play is where the hardcore players will be looking to flex.

More about Ranked Play will be revealed in January 2026, but for now, players can expect more of the same when it comes to Ranked that was seen in previous titles like Black Ops 6 and Modern Warfare III, including:

• Multiple ranks and skill divisions to grind through
• Call of Duty League-inspired ruleset, modes, and maps
• Exclusive rewards like camos and player cards every season
• Plus more

Stay tuned for more official info from Activision some time after the holiday season on when to expect season two of BO7 and everything that will be included within it.

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