Bungie has dived deep into its plans to grow Marathon “beyond extraction” and into a world of connected “PvE, PvP, and PvEvP experiences” with large updates planned.

The changes begin in October with a Nightfall Refresh, but really kick off with December’s Symbiosis update that will include a dedicated PvE experience, answering calls from many who enjoy the game’s world but don’t want to sweat it out in PvP.

“You’ve been clear that Marathon needs a place where players can explore, experiment, and take on challenges without worrying about being hunted by other Runners,” Bungie said. “In response, Symbiosis will introduce Marathon’s first permanent PvE mode. We’re still finalizing parts of the experience and will share a deeper look before the update launches.”

I’ve always been of the belief that Marathon is a good game, just not a game for me, or many others. The extraction genre is inherently hardcore and filters out many players since losing your loot just plain sucks. This PvE mode should help with that, along with an also-included experimental Team Deathmatch mode, an expansion of the Perimeter map, a new Runner Shell, and more.

Read what’s behind the latest news in gaming (with a bit of snark) by subscribing to the Destructoid Checkpoint newsletter!

More help could be in its plans to further connect the game to the original trilogy and its iconic enemies, hoping to make the planet of Tau Ceti IV “feel more alien and hostile.”

“We want [Marathon’s] world to reward curiosity and risk-taking, with more narrative that expands your understanding of the universe across repeated runs,” the devs said. “It also means more aliens to fight and more memorable encounters to take on with your crew. It’s not a Marathon game unless you’re shooting the Pfhor… even if they’ve undergone a transformation of their own since the fandom saw them last.”

The December updates sound exciting enough. But in March, to mark the game’s first anniversary, “a much larger evolution” of the game will take place, including but not limited to:

• An interconnected system of permanent PvE, PvP, and PvEvP experiences
• A new onboarding experience
• A refactored Cradle and deeper shell progression
• More focused questlines and narrative
• New alien combatants
• An entirely new zone

I still don’t know if the game is salvageable after a rough launch and inability to retain the player base; it likely needs to support ongoing development. But it’s clear that both Bungie and PlayStation are dug in deep to try and make it work, at least for the next six months or so.