I’ve been waiting so long for this! After three years of work and a bit of a setback, Bungie finally launched their reboot of Marathon! It’s an extraction shooter, and I’m thrilled it’s out now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X. It feels amazing to finally be able to play it!
The new Marathon, released in 2026, takes its name and some story elements from Bungie’s original Marathon trilogy from the 1990s. However, it’s a very different game. Unlike the slower, exploration-focused gameplay of the originals—which were similar to Doom—the new Marathon is a fast-paced, multiplayer game that combines player-versus-player and player-versus-environment combat.
Thousands of players recently tested the new game, Marathon, during a special preview event, and many are already captivated by its fast-paced combat, rewarding loot system, and intriguing story. The game delves into the history of the Tau Ceti IV colony and explores the fate of humanity in the 29th century.
Marathon is Bungie’s first new game in almost a decade, and it’s also part of the recent wave of extraction shooter games. If you enjoy Marathon’s fast-paced, running-focused gameplay and its unique world, here are 10 games you might also love.
10. Lethal Company
Looting Alien Worlds
The central idea of Marathon is a competition between several Earth-based groups. These groups are sending runners to the Tau Ceti IV colony to recover valuable data and resources they originally invested in, essentially looting what was once theirs.
Lethal Company is a fun, spooky survival horror game where you play as a worker sent by ‘The Company’ to scavenge for scrap on deserted space stations. It’s all about exploring alien worlds and grabbing loot, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
These seemingly useless, often comical items – like large screws, empty bottles, boomboxes, and clown horns – are scattered throughout the dark, maze-like stations. Beware, though! Dangerous creatures, such as the jack-in-the-box Jester, frequently lurk nearby, ready to attack anyone who wanders too close.
Okay, so Lethal Company isn’t a fast-paced shooter like Marathon, but honestly, it’s a blast! It’s all about scavenging for loot in space, and it’s way more fun with a big group of friends. Plus, the game gets even better when you add some mods – they make collecting scrap absolutely hilarious. I’m totally hooked!
9. Halo: Combat Evolved
The Game That Made Bungie a Household Name
I remember when I first got into Bungie games – for a lot of us, Marathon was our starting point! If you’re one of those who loves the shooting and the story in Marathon, you absolutely HAVE to check out Halo: Combat Evolved. That’s the game that really put Bungie on the map and made everyone know their name. It’s where they became famous, honestly!
First launched in 2001 as a key game for the original Xbox, Combat Evolved was instrumental in establishing the Xbox brand and contributing to the console’s financial success. Its compelling story, engaging gameplay, and popular multiplayer mode were all major factors in its success.
In the year 2552, Combat Evolved puts you in the role of Master Chief, a powerful Spartan soldier. He and the crew of the spaceship Pillar of Autumn are battling an alien alliance called the Covenant on a strange, ring-shaped world known as Alpha Halo. But beneath the surface of the ring, they discover even more terrifying and ancient dangers.
Although the graphics in Combat Evolved aren’t as impressive now after 25 years, the game is still incredibly fun to play, with memorable characters and a great story. If you enjoy 2026’s Marathon, you should definitely check out Combat Evolved – Marathon wouldn’t have been possible without the original Halo‘s success.
8. Marathon
Bungie’s First Major Franchise
While many know Bungie for the Halo franchise, their first big hit was actually the original Marathon trilogy. These games initially came out on Mac computers in 1994, before Halo was even created.
Marathon is a fast-paced, first-person shooter, visually and mechanically similar to Doom. The game takes place in the late 28th century on the UESC Marathon colony ship, where a rogue AI named Durandal has allowed dangerous aliens—the S’pht and Pfhor—to invade and slaughter the crew.
In this game, you take on the role of a cyborg security officer whose mission is to fight off an alien invasion and shut down the AI known as Durandal. However, things take an unexpected turn, and you end up partnering with the rebellious AI to protect the nearby Tau Ceti colony and ensure everyone’s survival.
While not as immediately engaging visually or narratively as other Bungie games – Marathon delivers its story through text logs – it’s still a worthwhile experience for any fan. It’s important because Marathon established many of the ideas, story elements, and designs that would later define Halo, Destiny, and the upcoming 2026 Marathon revival.
7. Marauders
Tarkov in Space
The upcoming game Marathon, set in a distant solar system, is a sci-fi extraction shooter. However, it won’t feature vehicle piloting or space travel. If you’re looking for an extraction shooter with those features, Small Impact Games’ Marauders is a good option.
Unlike Marathon, Marauders takes place in a gritty, alternate future inspired by dieselpunk. In this timeline, the Great War never concluded, and nations expanded into space, but overextended themselves. This created an opportunity for space pirates to become the biggest danger throughout the galaxy.
Players take on the role of space pirates, damaging enemy ships and then either raiding them directly or plundering nearby space stations for valuable items and equipment.
Though space battles in Marauders can feel empty, the close-quarters gunfights against other pirates or dangerous robots are thrilling and realistic – something fans of the game Marathon would really enjoy.
6. Hunt: Showdown 1986
Hunting Monsters in the Wild West
Extraction shooter games can take place in almost any setting, from futuristic worlds like the cyberpunk-inspired Marathon (2026) and the dieselpunk Marauders, to historical periods. If you enjoy the extraction genre and want a taste of the past, Hunt: Showdown 1896 is definitely worth a look.
Originally launched as Hunt: Showdown in 2018, 1896 has quickly become a favorite among extraction shooter fans. The game is consistently updated with new content and exciting events, like the Devil’s Trail event coming on March 18th.
Set in the late 1890s, 1896 features a diverse arsenal of weapons not typically found in games like Marathon, including bows, spears, lever-action rifles, and even molotov cocktails. Players can also use tarot cards to gain special abilities – for example, The Sun card temporarily increases health regeneration for a minute.
Hunt: Showdown 1896 offers a good balance of player-versus-player (PvP) and player-versus-environment (PvE) gameplay, with more PvE elements than many other extraction shooters. Players will frequently encounter and defeat weaker creatures like grunts, and later face challenging bosses like the giant alligator, Rotjaw, or the Hellborn, who throws fireballs.
5. Overwatch 2
Heroes of Multiple Classes
Extraction shooters and hero shooters often appear distinct, but they actually have a lot in common. Both genres frequently feature characters players can choose from before a match, similar to how Marathon lets you select different Runner Shells.
Runner Shells each have different skills and traits, and the game Overwatch 2 (now just called Overwatch) is packed with exciting characters and impressive abilities.
Unlike the current seven characters available in Marathon, Overwatch boasts a diverse lineup of 50 playable heroes. These range from unique characters like Wrecking Ball, a hamster piloting a mech, to Vendetta, the new leader of the Talon terrorist group who fights with a sword.
While some games like Marathon have slow and difficult player-versus-player battles, Overwatch offers quick, objective-based matches that are consistently enjoyable, particularly when playing with friends.
4. Escape From Tarkov
The Definitive Extraction Shooter
Extraction shooters are a fairly recent addition to the world of first-person shooter (FPS) games. Many companies have tried to create their own versions over the last ten years, but most haven’t managed to capture the same compelling appeal and exciting gameplay as Escape from Tarkov.
Though not the very first of its kind, Escape from Tarkov is widely considered the game that made extraction shooters popular. It first appeared as a beta in 2017 and was fully released on PC in late 2025.
Set during a fictional war in the Russian city of Tarkov, the game puts you in the role of a mercenary fighting for either the UESC or BEAR side. Your goals are to scavenge for loot, defeat enemy players and computer-controlled opponents, improve your weapons, and escape with the best equipment possible.
Okay, so Tarkov really feels like a hardcore survival game. You’re constantly scavenging for stuff like food and water, and it’s not like other shooters where you just hit a button to reload – you have to manually reload each magazine. If you get hit, you actually have to deal with your injuries, trying to heal damaged organs and body parts just to stay alive, both against other players and the harsh environment itself.
3. Halo Infinite
A Halo Multiplayer Unlike Any Other
It’s been over a decade since Bungie last created a Halo game – Halo: Reach came out in 2010. However, the Halo series hasn’t stopped there, and the newest installment, Halo Infinite, delivers fantastic single-player and multiplayer action, ranking among the best in the first-person shooter genre.
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Halo Infinite is the first game in the series to feature a truly open world. In its campaign, you can play alone or with up to three friends as Master Chief explores the mysterious Zeta Halo. He must fight to survive, rescue survivors from the UNSC Infinity, and stop the Banished, a powerful enemy group led by Brutes.
While the story in Infinite is enjoyable, the game truly shines with its multiplayer. It offers classic Halo modes fans adore – like Slayer, Big Team Battle, and Infection – and goes a step further by letting players create custom matches and experiences using the powerful Forge mode for both player-versus-player and player-versus-environment gameplay.
Forge went beyond simply letting players rebuild the popular Firefight mode. It also enabled fans to recreate experiences like Call of Duty Zombies, Halo Wars, Battle Royale, Helldivers 2, and even entire levels from other Halo campaigns within Halo Infinite, effectively giving the game endless replayability.
2. ARC Raiders
Marathon’s Biggest Competition
When the game Marathon was originally planned for release in late 2025, many players anticipated it would be challenging to compete with ARC Raiders, a very popular multiplayer extraction shooter.
In the year 2180, ARC Raiders takes place in a world where humanity lives underground, hiding from powerful ARC robots that have decimated civilization. Small teams venture to the surface to scavenge for essential supplies in this third-person shooter.
Raiding groups frequently clash with both enemy robots and other players who are also trying to steal valuable items. These encounters often result in exciting player-versus-player battles, whether in tight indoor spaces or across vast outdoor ruins.
ARC Raiders released in late 2025 to strong reviews and commercial success, and has maintained a dedicated player base of around 200,000. This makes it a significant competitor to Marathon, and it remains to be seen if it will ultimately surpass it in popularity.
1. Destiny 2
Fighting Back the Darkness
Both Marathon and ARC Raiders feature intriguing backstory details that players need to actively seek out. However, if Marathon fans are searching for a game with deep, captivating world-building and engaging player-versus-player and player-versus-environment gameplay, they’ll find it in Bungie’s Destiny 2.
Destiny 2 is a sci-fi fantasy game played from a first-person perspective, where players team up online. Set in the 28th century, the game takes place after humanity spread throughout the solar system, but faced near extinction. A mysterious, floating sphere called the Traveler saved a small group of humans and granted them special powers, turning them into Guardians tasked with protecting everyone from a powerful, looming Darkness.
As a huge fan of Destiny 2, what really keeps me hooked is teaming up with friends. Usually, we run missions and strikes as a fireteam of three, exploring the solar system together. But it’s not just about PvE – I love the competitive side too, with both small-scale 3v3 matches and larger 6v6 battles. And then there are the raids! Those six-player challenges are epic, and the best part is, no matter what you’re doing, you’re always getting a chance to earn some seriously awesome legendary and exotic gear.
If you love a good challenge, you’ll probably enjoy Gambit, a game mode where two teams of four players battle aliens to collect energy and then try to score points. Players can also invade the opposing team’s area through portals to disrupt their progress.
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2026-03-08 22:43