Delay or cancellation?: The future of Bungieโs Marathon
Sony reportedly pulled out support for marketing Bungieโs latest project, Marathon, after controversy hit in late May 2025. Concerns like the mixed reception for the alpha release and accusations of plagiarism hurt public relations (PR). News spread like wildfire, hurting Marathonโs prospects for a successful launch in 2025.
Bungie investigates plagiarism claim
User @4nt1r34l (read as โAntirealโ) posted on X (formerly Twitter) about discovering her works had been directly lifted and used in Marathonโs alpha build. Assets included were fonts, decals, and even the artistโs professional logo were used in-game. Bungie responded through official channels, confirming that a former Bungie artist had included the assets in a texture sheet.
This oversight slipped past quality assurance and was ultimately used in-game. The company has initiated a thorough review of all in-game assets and has reached out to Antireal to address the issue.
Development team morale in an all-time low
Bungie is in a slump with regard to the future of Marathon, their supposedly next big live service project. It was already met with mixed reactions among gamers, and now with PR concerns after plagiarism claims. Sony has now halted all paid marketing support moving forward.
While Marathon is currently slated for a September 2025 release, the controversies have led to speculation about a potential delay.
