Marathon Open Play Week is Bungie’s next big test for its extraction shooter. Season 2 starts on June 2, and Bungie says the full game will be open to play from June 2 through June 9.
The free week covers Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Progress made during the trial will carry into Season 2, so new players are not just sampling a throwaway build. PlayStation Blog also says PS5 players will not need PlayStation Plus during the Open Play Week.
What changes in Season 2
Season 2 brings a full gameplay reset. Bungie says Vault assets and personalized Armory access will be wiped, while Runner shells return to factory standards. Achievements, cosmetics, and non-seasonal Codex progression will stay in place.
That reset matters because everyone starts the new season on cleaner footing. It also gives new players a better shot at learning the game without running into fully stocked crews on day one.
The biggest content addition is Night Marsh, a darker version of Dire Marsh. Bungie says players will deal with low visibility, new threats, and locked-down UESC areas. New tools include Darksight scopes, signal flares, and Certs that help open towers, exfils, and loot spaces.
Marathon Season 2 in motion
The official Season 2 footage gives a better sense of the reset Bungie is trying to sell: darker runs, faster pushes, and a cleaner on-ramp for players jumping in during Open Play Week.
Sentinel, Cradle, and new gear
Season 2 also adds Sentinel, a defensive Runner shell built around area control. Its Defender System can shoot down incoming grenades and missiles while boosting handling for nearby teammates. Sentinel also gets a proximity Snare Mine for slowing aggressive pushes.
The new Cradle system changes seasonal progression. Players can feed gear into the Matter Converter, earn Energy, and route upgrades into stats and perks for their Runner shell. Bungie says players can reset and reallocate that Energy during the season.
Other additions include the KKV SMG, the D54 Battle Pistol, new mods, cores, implants, faster faction progression, a larger Vault, and contract quality-of-life updates. Bungie Rewards are also coming to Marathon during Season 2.
For Bungie, this free week is more than a marketing beat. Tech My Money recently covered fresh concern around Bungie’s staffing and Destiny 2 roadmap. Marathon now gets a visible chance to bring lapsed and curious players into the same starting line.
Bungie’s Season 2 breakdown is available here. PlayStation Blog has the PS5-specific Open Play Week note here.
