Bungie has released new information about the seasonal format of Marathon, as it nears its 5th March release date. These seasons, free to all players and roughly three months long, will result in the game feeling “meaningfully different”, according to today’s press blast. The game retails for $39.99 / €39.99 / £34.99 for the base edition, so I’m quite glad to hear that the Seasonal updates – for now, at least – aren’t going to require added purchases.

This seasonal breakdown, posted in blog form on the game’s official X account, first established what’s in Season 1. Starting when the game launches, Season 1 will bring a fourth zone called Cryo Archive, which the community will have to unlock through some as-yet-undisclosed in-game means. This map will feature security puzzles, frozen vaults to unseal, and “an entity even the UESC fears”. Very spooky. You can see where the team is taking cues from its Destiny days.

In the second half of March, Marathon’s ranked mode will be added – still taking place during this initial season. More information on this will come “closer to its launch”, but it’ll reward players who climb the ranks exclusive rewards each season, so completionists and competitive players will probably want to keep an eye open for more details.

The first season will also bring new events, a new weapon, quality-of-life tweaks and more when the game releases. Unlike the Server Slam, the game will also have its sixth shell – Thief – as well as the full initial narrative arc through priority contracts and the sixth player faction: Sekiguchi Genetics.

As for season 2, it’s called Nightfall (there’s that Bungie lore coming up again). According to the post, each season will have new narrative gameplay to engage with as well as features to engage with. Nightfall will bring a new version of the Dire Marsh map that’ll take place in the dark with an increased UESC presence. Season 2 will also come with a new runner shell, weapons, mods, and more.

Nightfall will also bring the Cradle system, of which details are sparse. What we do know is it’ll give players “more autonomy over your Runner shell’s statistical strengths and weaknesses,” according to the post.

“As we build upon each season, Marathon will continue to grow and evolve,” the blog post reads. “The game and world today and a year from now should feel meaningfully different as we add new features and go on the journey of discovering what happened to the colonists of Tau Ceti… and what happens when you dig up secrets that are better left buried.”

Are you keen to jump into Marathon’s premier season later this week? What do you want to see from the game during its opening months?