Marathon Art Director Leaves Bungie Months Before March 2026 Launch

Joseph Cross Departs After Shaping "Graphic Realism"

Joseph Cross, the Senior Art Director behind the striking visual identity of Bungie’s upcoming extraction shooter Marathon, has officially left the studio. Confirming his departure on December 19, 2025, Cross noted that the decision to move on was his own and expressed immense pride in the "Graphic Realism" aesthetic he helped develop over the last six years.

• Legacy: Cross was a lead concept artist on Destiny before returning to Bungie in 2020 to lead Marathon’s art team.

• Status: His departure comes at a critical time, as the game has just entered its final months of production following a series of delays.

• Social Response: On X (formerly Twitter), Cross praised the Bungie art team as "the best in the biz" and stated he looks forward to playing the game as a fan.

  
   

March 2026 Release and Competitive Pricing

Following a lengthy period of silence and an indefinite delay in mid-2025, Bungie recently released a "Vision of Marathon" developer update confirming the game’s final launch window.

• Launch Date: Marathon is scheduled to release in March 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

• Price Point: The game will launch at $39.99, moving away from a free-to-play model to a premium entry fee.

• Live Service Model: Bungie has committed to a roadmap of free gameplay updates, including new maps and "Runner shells," promising that "survival will never come down to how much money you spend."

Resolution of Plagiarism Controversy

Earlier in 2025, the game’s unique aesthetic faced a hurdle when artist Fern Hook (Antireal) accused the studio of using her artwork without permission. Bungie quickly took responsibility, stating the assets were inadvertently included by a former employee. As of December 2025, both parties have confirmed that the matter is fully resolved to their satisfaction, clearing a major legal and public relations cloud ahead of the launch.

 

Testing the Waters: Solo Queue and Features

Recent alpha tests in late 2025 have led to several high-profile additions based on player feedback:

• Solo Queue: A dedicated mode for lone Runners who don't want to match against three-man crews.

• Proximity Chat: Added to enhance the social and "mind-game" aspects of the extraction genre.

• New Runner Shells: Enhanced customization and gameplay variety for player characters.

Would you like me to look up the PC system requirements for the upcoming Marathon technical tests in January?