Marathon Confirms Seasonal Progression Resets: Gear, Contracts, and Levels Wiped Every Few Months

Bungie has detailed what players can anticipate when Marathon launches, confirming seasonal wipes that will reset all player gear every few months. These seasonal updates will introduce fresh gameplay elements such as new gear, Runner shells, zones, and events, all available for free without requiring expansions or DLC.

Each season offers a "clean slate for the whole community," as Bungie puts it, with resets affecting gear, contract progression, faction progression, and player levels. However, players will retain achievements, cosmetics, titles, milestone rewards, Codex progression, and liaison contract progression, so factions won't need to be unlocked each season.

Bungie explained the reasoning behind these resets: "Seasonal resets keep the game dangerous, make loot feel meaningful, and provide opportunities for players to jump back in or invite friends without feeling left behind. It's about embracing the new while starting a zero-to-hero journey with fresh content to master and discover."

The extraction shooter launches on March 5 alongside Season 1, titled First Step. This season features a community-driven effort to unlock access to orbit and the fourth zone, Cryo Archive, though specifics of the unlock remain undisclosed. Bungie teased, "Prepare to tackle this end-game zone on the Marathon ship, where you'll solve security puzzles, unseal frozen vaults, and confront an entity that even the UESC fears." In late March, Ranked mode will unlock, offering exclusive rewards, though details on its mechanics are sparse.

Bungie also outlined launch content and revealed Season 2, Nightfall, which will introduce a nighttime version of Dire Marsh, a new Runner shell, weapons, mods, cores, and contracts. Nightfall will debut the Cradle system, designed to give players more control over their Runner shell's statistical strengths and weaknesses.

"As we build upon each season, Marathon will continue to evolve," Bungie stated. "The game and world will feel significantly different over time as we add features and explore the mysteries of the Tau Ceti colonists... and the consequences of unearthing buried secrets."

For more on Marathon, including insights from Bungie developers and IGN's ongoing review, stay tuned for updates.