Bungie has confirmed that Marathon Season 2, titled Nightfall, will begin on June 2, 2026.
That date matters because Season 2 will bring the game’s first major seasonal reset. Since Marathon launched in March, one of the biggest questions around the extraction shooter has been how players will react when much of their progress is wiped.
Before that happens, Bungie is making the rest of Season 1 more generous and more intense.
Starting May 21, Cryo Archive will be available every day until the end of the season. Players will also receive one free Cryo Archive Sponsored Kit each day, giving them a daily chance to attempt the endgame raid instead of being limited to one free shot per weekend.
The next update arrives on May 19 and adds more activity across the game. UESC troops will become more common and more aggressive, with more Warden encounters appearing on Perimeter, Dire Marsh, and Outpost. Bungie is also teasing a new threat for Dire Marsh and Perimeter.
There is a reward side to that added pressure. Wardens will now always drop keys to locked rooms, and events like Lockdown, Convoy, Anomaly, and Warden spawns will be guaranteed during each run.
| Season 1 change | Date |
|---|---|
| More Warden encounters | May 19 |
| Guaranteed map events every run | May 19 |
| Wardens always drop locked room keys | May 19 |
| Cryo Archive available daily | May 21 |
| Free daily Cryo Archive Sponsored Kit | May 21 |
| Season 2: Nightfall begins | June 2 |
The May 19 update also brings balance changes. Rook’s Signal Mask ability will stay active longer while sprinting, and UESC enemies will detect footsteps from a shorter distance.
The bigger issue is the reset.
When Season 2 begins, many parts of player progress will return to zero. Bungie says the following will reset:
| Reset in Season 2 |
|---|
| Runner Level |
| Ranked Level |
| Faction Level and upgrades |
| Credits and most currencies, except LUX and Silk |
| Inventory and Vault items |
| Purchases unlocked by Schemas |
| Mailbox messages, rewards, and returned items |
| Priority Contracts, except the first contract for each faction |
| Gear granting seasonal codex entries for Runner and Ranked levels |
Not everything will reset. Combat, feat, loot, map, Runner, and title Codex challenges will remain. Faction unlocks, Rewards Pass progress, and Cryo Archive subroutine progress will also stay.
Bungie is giving players some help based on their Season 1 Runner Level. Milestones are set at levels 10, 25, 50, and 75. Players who reach level 75 or higher will begin Season 2 with four Sponsored Kits.
This reset is the biggest test Marathon has faced so far.
Extraction shooters often rely on wipes to keep the economy fresh and give everyone a reason to start again. But wipes can also push players away if they feel too punishing, especially in a game that is still trying to stabilize its audience.
Marathon has already dealt with declining player numbers, so the reset needs to feel like a clean new chapter rather than a punishment for sticking with the game.
Bungie clearly wants Season 2 to be a turning point. The final weeks of Season 1 are becoming more rewarding, more active, and more chaotic. But once Nightfall begins, the real question is simple: will players accept losing their gear and progress if the new season feels worth the trade?
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