Marathon’s New PvE Plans Aim to Set It Apart from Destiny’s Old Format
Bungie is planning to experiment with a new PvE offering for Marathon next month, aiming to make the extraction shooter feel more distinct from the usual PvPvE structure. The announcement lands during a particularly tense period for the studio, following recent layoffs that reportedly hit a large portion of the team. Whether or not players agree with the decision, Marathon has become an easy target for Destiny 2 fans trying to process the franchise’s abrupt slowdown, and adding a dedicated PvE mode to Marathon makes that comparison feel even more personal.
Key takeaways
- Bungie says the experimental PvE mode for Marathon arrives on July 21 as a mid-season update.
- The new mode is named Vault Breaker.
- Vault Breaker supports multiple playstyles, including solo, duo, and full-crew matchmaking.
- Progression is tied to both vault runs and a separate progression track unique to the mode.
- Players queue using a special Sponsored Kit, and they keep Vault Data while leaving discovered gear behind after extraction.
- A new currency, Vault Data, can be spent to upgrade the Sponsored Kit.
Everything Bungie has confirmed about Marathon’s next PvE mode
If you’re curious what the mode will look like in practice, you won’t have long to wait. Bungie has confirmed that this experimental PvE experience is coming to Marathon on July 21, positioned as a mid-season update. Season 2 began with a rocky note due to changes like the Cradle XP reduction, but Bungie previously tried another experimental PvE-style option at the start of the season. That earlier mode, Sponsored Survival, received a strong amount of positive reaction—though it has since been removed from the game for the time being.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Gamoji
Guess the game from the emojis.
With the new PvE mode on the way, the next phase is simply waiting. Bungie has confirmed the name Vault Breaker, and it’s expected to meaningfully shake up the usual loop that Marathon players are used to. Given that the game’s player count has been struggling, Vault Breaker could be what the title needs to regain momentum—at least, that’s the hope.
Vault Breaker PvE Mode Details
- The mode is playable with a full crew, duos, or solo players.
- Players work through a sequence of vaults, with each new stage becoming more difficult.
- Vault Breaker includes its own dedicated progression system.
- To enter, players must queue using a special Sponsored Kit.
- Players retain Vault Data after completing runs, while any gear found during a run is left behind when they extract.
- Vault Data is also used as a new in-game currency to upgrade the Sponsored Kit.
Since Sponsored Survival landed with a fairly positive reception, players will be watching closely to see whether Vault Breaker can match that energy. The mode could become a meaningful step for the extraction shooter, but it also risks intensifying the ongoing Marathon versus Destiny 2 conversation—especially for anyone who sees Bungie’s PvE direction as a direct response to where Destiny is headed.
Marathon getting PvE right after Destiny 2’s end is painful timing
Destiny 2 has long leaned on PvE as a core strength, so Marathon moving toward a dedicated PvE mode can feel like bad timing more than anything else. Before Marathon launched, it looked like Bungie wanted the game to stand apart as a focused extraction shooter—one that could compete with titles such as ARC Raiders. Introducing a PvE-only option complicates that identity, and it becomes even harder to ignore now that Destiny 2 players aren’t getting new live-service content to look forward to.
In theory, there’s a version of events where both games could have grown together by keeping clear, separate identities. In practice, that outcome seems unlikely. Recent player behavior around Destiny 2 suggests the shooter still has a committed community. Still, with the latest layoffs, it’s difficult to picture Bungie and Sony backing both Destiny 2 and Marathon as fully resourced, long-term pillars at the same time.
From that perspective, bringing PvE to Marathon can read like an attempt to offer displaced Destiny 2 players another place to land. It’s a strategy that makes sense on paper, but it’s also frustrating for players who would rather keep doing PvE in the game they already love, instead of feeling redirected into a different experience. Even so, Marathon still needs to rebound strongly this year, which may force Bungie to keep rethinking what the game is meant to be.
A PvE mode alone may not be enough to bring in the influx of new players Bungie needs. One potential route is widening access—such as making Marathon free-to-play—but whether that actually happens remains to be seen.
Marathon’s PvE mode makes Destiny 3 feel even less likely
No one knows what will happen with Destiny 3, but plenty of fans will continue to hope it’s still on the table. For now, though, the overall outlook for the Destiny franchise feels grim, and a full-time PvE mode in Marathon could only make that mood worse. If Vault Breaker ends up proving to be the hook that keeps players coming back to Marathon, Bungie could end up with even less urgency to prioritize Destiny 3.
Only time will tell whether Marathon’s PvE effort performs the way Bungie and Sony expect. The game has been live for only a few months, and taking on the likes of ARC Raiders has been a tough climb. Marathon still has room to expand and develop, but if that growth comes from moving closer to the PvE style that Destiny fans have effectively lost, Vault Breaker could end up serving a double role: a smart update for Marathon, and another reminder of what Destiny 2 no longer gets to be.
