Marathon's Symbiosis update lands December 8 with permanent PvE and a free week

2026-11-13 · Guides

Marathon's Symbiosis update launches December 8, 2026. Bungie announced the date on the PlayStation Blog on November 10, along with a first gameplay trailer. The headline feature is a permanent mode with no enemy players, something the extraction shooter has lacked since launch. An Open Play Week runs alongside it from December 8 to 15.

What's in the update

Expedition (Phase 1). A PvE-only mode built around a series of three runs, solo or with a crew. You pick up temporary Flash Boosts along the way, and there are no PvP threats. Bungie calls it the first phase of a permanent PvE offering.
Deathmatch [Beta]. Short, experimental 3v3 team fights. Your permanent loadout isn't at risk.
Limbo. A social hub with firing ranges and a dueling pit.
Bishop. A new Runner shell: a fast, blade-wielding robot that Bungie describes as a "high-performance robot samurai."
Weapons. The V17 Flamethrower for close-range area denial and the Maverick revolver. Game Informer and Final Weapon also mention throwing knives and a hack grenade.
Map changes. The Perimeter zone on Tau Ceti IV has been reworked with fungal growth and alien life. It gains two areas, the underground Burrows and the flooded Reservoir, plus a boss called the Tick Queen.

The free week

Open Play Week runs December 8 to 15. According to AltChar, GameRiv and TheGamePost, anyone can download the full game and play free during that window, Symbiosis content included. If you buy the game afterward, your items and progress carry over.

One thing isn't settled: whether console players need PS Plus that week. Bungie didn't require it during the June free week, but it hasn't said either way for December.

There's also a Crew Up event from December 8 to 22 with six cosmetic rewards. You need at least one friend to take part, and after December 15 you need to own the game.

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Why it matters

Marathon launched on March 5, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, with full cross-play and cross-save. Symbiosis was first scheduled for September 22. Bungie pushed it to December and dropped its fixed seasonal schedule.

A PvE mode is a pitch to players who bounced off losing their gear to other squads. "Marathon is evolving. Symbiosis marks the first step in that journey," the studio says in its press release. Engadget reports that a March 2027 update is planned to be "meaningfully larger than Symbiosis."

What it means for you

If you've been curious about Marathon but held off, December 8 is a chance to try the updated game for free. Owners shouldn't have to pay for the update, going by the "for all players" wording, though Bungie hasn't spelled that out.

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