Marathon’s ’experimental’ PvE mode will only be playable for 2 weeks when it goes live in July, full rollout expected to happen sometime in Season 3

Bungie announced a new experimental PvE mode for its extraction shooter Marathon called Vault Breaker, arriving July 21 as part of version 1.1.5 mid-season update. The mode will only be available for two weeks, running through August 4, with a full rollout planned for Season 3.

Vault Breaker is a roguelite PvE experience set in the Cryo Archive where players infiltrate solo or in groups of up to three to take on progressively tougher Vaults across multiple runs. During each run, players acquire Vault Data that can upgrade their Sponsored Kit between sessions or be spent directly on weapons, items, and gear from the new Vault Breaker Armory.

The limited two-week availability appears designed to gather player feedback before the full rollout. This marks Marathon’s first substantial PvE content, representing a notable shift for the game, which has focused primarily on PvP extraction gameplay since launch.

The announcement comes as Bungie pivots its development focus following significant layoffs and the wind-down of Destiny 2. Marathon is positioned as a key project for the studio’s future, and the limited PvE offering aims to broaden appeal beyond players drawn to extraction shooters by addressing common concerns about grind and gameplay monotony.

Marathon’s ’experimental’ PvE mode will only be playable for 2 weeks when it goes live in July, full rollout expected to happen sometime in Season 3

Sources