When does Marathon Season 2 start?
Marathon Season 2: free-week timing and what’s changing
Bungie’s Marathon Season 2 is set to begin in early June 2026, with the studio framing the start as a reset moment for its sci-fi extraction shooter. The biggest practical detail for players is a limited-time free-to-play window tied directly to the season launch, intended to bring in people who haven’t jumped in yet—especially after the game’s troubled first stretch.
Season 2 also brings substantial gameplay changes alongside new content. Bungie has detailed updates to combat tuning, including an emphasis that is likely to reshape how some weapon types perform. The reporting specifically calls out concerns for “shotgun lovers and thermal snipers” due to the tuning direction Bungie has described. That’s important because extraction shooters live or die on how readable, counterable, and enjoyable weapon matchups feel during engagements.
On the content side, Marathon Season 2 includes:
- A new map
- New defense-focused gameplay elements
- A “Sentinel” class arriving with the season
Bungie also ran a free week around the launch to lower the barrier for trying the game. The season’s release moment is pegged to June 2, and the free week is described as running through June 9.
What players should watch for
- The free week beginning with the season launch is the easiest entry point.
- Weapon balance updates may affect preferred loadouts, particularly shotguns and thermal setups.
- The new Sentinel class and map will likely shift team compositions and how squads approach defense.
Overall, Marathon Season 2 is positioned as both an onboarding event and a gameplay course-correction—using a free trial period while Bungie adjusts the combat feel that players have been debating since the game’s earlier months.