Bungie launched Marathon Season 2 on June 2, 2026, resetting player progression and introducing new gameplay features including a 'PvP-lite' mode called Sponsored Survival, a spooky map variant named Night Marsh, UI updates, new weapons, and a new character class [1, 2, 3]. The new season also marked the start of a free-to-play trial week lasting until June 9.
On launch day, players encountered widespread server problems with frequent disconnects and error codes labeled Weasel, Monkey, and Anteater causing lost loot mid-match [1, 2]. These bugs impacted gameplay across regions starting in the late morning PDT and persisted into the afternoon.
Bungie responded by taking Marathon servers offline for emergency maintenance around 7 p.m. EDT (6 p.m. PDT), initially aiming to restore access quickly but extending downtime to about 4 hours, with servers returning around 11 p.m. EDT (8 p.m. PDT) [1, 2]. After the fix, key disconnection problems were resolved though some bugs remain, including one preventing codex unlocks for major achievements carried over from the previous season [1].
Players affected by the launch issues will receive compensation in the form of free deluxe sponsored kits, which Bungie described as pre-packaged loadouts for use in-game [1, 2]. Sponsored Survival, one of the new modes, supports solo, duo, or crew play on the Halloween-themed Night Marsh map. The mode features a timer that triggers a final extraction event where players decide to collaborate temporarily or engage in combat while also combating AI drones and rival players called Rooks [3]. Bungie’s blog described the mode’s tension: "Everyone will have a limited amount of time to book it over and prepare to make their exit. Once there, the decision is yours: Will you negotiate a temporary truce and exfil as one, or turn your weapons on each other in the dead of night?"
Bungie also plans to test a fully player-versus-environment mode later in the season [3].
Marathon Season 2 showed strong player interest initially, with a brief spike in active users on Steam. However, the launch bugs and downtime might affect retention among first-time players [2].
