Bungie is getting ready to test a long-requested feature in Marathon. Right now, the extraction shooter supports solo play and three-player squads only, but that will change soon. On March 18 at 10:00 PT, the studio will begin testing a duos mode in Marathon, giving players a new way to drop in with one trusted teammate.
Marathon Duos Mode
According to Marathon game director Joe Ziegler, the first version of this test will take place on the Perimeter map. The test is expected to run for around two weeks, though Bungie said it may end earlier or last longer depending on results. That already makes it clear this is more of a live experiment than a polished feature rollout.
There is one important limitation from the start: you can only enter duos with a friend you invite yourself. Matchmaking will not pair players with a random partner. During the test, the mode will appear in the zone selection screen as “Perimeter — Duos”. However, Bungie noted that this is only a temporary interface option and not the final UI version.
Ziegler also warned players that some things during the test may feel rough. That part is not too surprising. Bungie wants to see how duos affect pacing, survival, loot pressure, and fights before spending more time fully refining the mode. In other words, this is a practical way to check whether duos actually fit Marathon gameplay.
It also sounds like Bungie may use the same approach again later. If this test goes well, similar limited experiments could become a regular part of the team’s Marathon improvement process.