Bungie has released a gameplay trailer for Marathon's Symbiosis update, which launches on December 8 with a new co-op PvE mode built around roguelite elements. The trailer also previews changes to the shooter's maps, equipment, and competitive modes.
Flash Boosts shape each PvE run
The new PvE mode removes the threat of enemy players. Its structure follows a three-run series that players can tackle solo or with a crew, taking on combat and environmental challenges without another team arriving to steal their haul.
Randomized upgrades called Flash Boosts let players adjust their builds during a run. Challenges escalate as players advance through successive layers, scaling with their growing power.
Bungie describes this launch as the first phase of its PvE plans. Symbiosis introduces a dedicated format for players who want to fight the game's enemies without competitive encounters interrupting them.
Deathmatch, a bigger Perimeter, and new gear
Perimeter is expanding with the underground Burrows and submerged Reservoir areas. Alien growth spreads through the zone, while caves lead into Reservoir's large main room and catwalks. A new threat, the Tick Queen, also lurks beneath the surface.
Players who prefer fighting other Runners get a Deathmatch beta. Its short, 3v3 Team Deathmatch matches put two crews against each other for points without risking their permanent loadouts. It provides a separate place to practice competitive gunfights without gambling equipment on each match.
Bishop joins the Runner shell lineup with high jumps and sword attacks. The gameplay trailer shows Bishop's Ultimate cutting through several bots, putting close-range blade combat at the center of the new shell's introduction.
The equipment additions include:
- V17 flamethrower, a short-range weapon for controlling space.
- Maverick, a new revolver.
- A throwing knife.
- A hack grenade.
A new social space gives players somewhere to meet, use firing ranges, and challenge each other in a duelling pit. You can test weapons and equipment there without entering an extraction match, including options covered in our Marathon PvE weapons guide.
A free-play period begins alongside Symbiosis and includes all of Marathon's content, including the new modes. Players who decide to buy the game afterward keep the progress and items earned during that period.
