The Marathon Playtest 3 leak has sent shockwaves through the gaming community, revealing substantial changes that could completely transform Bungie’s highly anticipated extraction shooter. Despite strict NDA agreements, detailed information from the closed playtest has surfaced online, giving us our most comprehensive look yet at what’s coming to Marathon.
Meet Icon – The Game-Changing New Runner
The biggest revelation from the Marathon Playtest 3 leak centers around a brand new Runner called Icon (previously codenamed “Thief”). This character brings three distinct abilities that could fundamentally shift how players approach the game:
Icon’s Revolutionary Ability Set
- Grapple Hook – Functions similarly to Pathfinder’s grappling hook from Apex Legends, offering enhanced mobility across Marathon’s environments
- X-Ray Vision – Players can identify loot containers through walls, with visual indicators showing the rarity of the most valuable items inside. This ability also reveals enemy outlines that refresh every few seconds and works through smoke
- Loot-Stealing Drone – Perhaps the most controversial ability, this launches a retractable grapple at opponents, extracting their most valuable item and dropping it nearby as a loot bag
These abilities suggest Bungie is pushing Marathon toward more tactical, ability-focused gameplay rather than pure gunplay extraction mechanics.
Multiple Marathon Ship Maps Transform the Experience
One of the most exciting aspects of the Marathon Playtest 3 leak involves the introduction of multiple maps set aboard the iconic UESC Marathon ship itself. The playtest featured two distinct environments:
Enhanced Outpost Map
The familiar Outpost map received significant visual improvements and a new environmental hazard. Players now face “sparks” raining from the sky that deal damage over time and increase heat meters, adding a dynamic environmental challenge.
New Cryo Archive Map
Set directly on the Marathon ship, this new map introduces puzzle-like elements requiring keys and specific objects to unlock certain areas. The leak suggests the Marathon ship will be divided into multiple separate maps rather than one massive environment.
Massive UI Overhaul and Visual Improvements
The Marathon Playtest 3 leak reveals extensive interface changes that address many player concerns from earlier tests. The faction screen received a complete redesign, now featuring fully redesigned advisors and visual elements.
Each of Marathon’s six factions – Cyberacme, Nucaloric, Traxus, MIDA, Arachne, and Sekiguchi – now includes spectacular 30+ second pre-rendered intro cinematics. These replace the basic interactions from previous tests and reportedly look “fantastic” according to playtest participants.
Cosmetics and Character Customization Changes
Interestingly, all cosmetics from Playtest 2 were removed for this test, with players limited to default skins only. Icon’s skin was labeled as “Default Skin 01,” hinting at multiple default variants or customization options coming in future builds.
The leak also mentions that Silkworms (described as “pink cats”) are now present in-game, though their exact function remains unclear.
What These Changes Mean for Marathon’s Future
The Marathon Playtest 3 leak suggests Bungie is actively responding to community feedback while maintaining their vision for a unique extraction shooter experience. The addition of puzzle elements, environmental hazards, and ability-focused gameplay indicates a departure from traditional extraction shooter formulas.
However, some community members express concern about the “Runner” system, feeling it moves too far from Marathon’s original identity toward hero shooter mechanics. The loot-stealing drone ability, in particular, has sparked debate about game balance and fairness.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Marathon be officially released?
Bungie delayed Marathon from its original September 2025 release date and has not announced a new launch window. The company promises another update this fall with more concrete timing.
Will Marathon have a public beta?
While not officially confirmed, the leak suggests an open beta may occur later this year, allowing broader community access before launch.
How many Runners will be available at launch?
The exact number hasn’t been confirmed, but the Marathon Playtest 3 leak shows at least one new Runner (Icon) joining the roster, with hints at more characters in development.
Are S’pht Compilers in the game?
While not visible in Playtest 3, leakers report that S’pht Compilers exist in the game files, suggesting they’ll appear in future builds or the final release.
What platforms will Marathon support?
Bungie has confirmed Marathon will be free-to-play and available on multiple platforms, though specific platform details haven’t been fully revealed.
How does the new loot-stealing ability work?
Icon’s drone fires a grapple at enemy players, automatically taking their rarest item and dropping it nearby. Players must manually collect the stolen loot – it doesn’t go directly into the thief’s inventory.
Looking Ahead
The Marathon Playtest 3 leak reveals a game in significant flux, with Bungie clearly committed to refining the experience based on player feedback. While some changes may prove controversial, the addition of puzzle elements, environmental storytelling, and unique Runner abilities suggests Marathon could offer a genuinely different take on the extraction shooter genre. Whether these changes will satisfy longtime Marathon fans and attract new players remains to be seen, but the leaked details certainly paint a picture of ambitious development in progress.