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**Bungie Delays Marathon Indefinitely, Citing Player Feedback and Need for Refinement**

**Bellevue, WA -** Bungie announced Tuesday that the highly anticipated revival of their classic shooter, *Marathon*, will be delayed indefinitely. Originally slated for a potential September release, the developer stated the delay is to allow for further refinement based on player feedback from the game’s closed alpha playtest, which ran from April 23rd to May 4th.

“We’re using this time to empower the team to create the intense, high-stakes experience that a title like *Marathon* is built around,” Bungie wrote in a statement. The company emphasized a desire to drill down on the core elements that make the game uniquely compelling: a blend of survival, mystery, raid-like endgame challenges, and engaging combat. Priorities also include adding more challenging AI encounters, enhancing visual fidelity, and achieving a darker tone that more closely resembles the original 1990s titles. Closed testing will continue in the coming months.

While Bungie didn’t explicitly mention a recent controversy involving stolen artwork used in the alpha version, the company previously acknowledged a former artist had incorporated assets without authorization. It’s speculated that this incident may have played a role in the decision to further scrutinize and refine the game’s development.

Bungie acknowledged that delays are disappointing, but stressed the importance of incorporating player feedback. “Through every comment and real-time conversation on social media and Discord, your voice has been strong and clear,” the statement read. “We’ve taken this to heart, and we know we need more time to craft *Marathon* into the game that truly reflects your passion.”

Bungie expects to provide a new update, including a revised release date, sometime this fall. Fans will have to wait patiently to see the outcome.

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