Marathon’s Symbiosis update arrives on December 8 for all players, adding a PvE-only Expedition mode, a 3v3 Deathmatch beta, a new Runner shell called Bishop, two new weapons and a reworked Perimeter zone, Sony’s PlayStation Blog announced.

Marathon is available now on PS5 with full cross-play and cross-save. An Open Play Week runs from December 8 to 15 alongside the update, so players can try the game during that window.

What is new in the Symbiosis update?

Sony and Bungie list these additions:

  • Updated Perimeter zone: fungal growth and alien life have transformed the map, adding the underground Burrows and the submerged Reservoir. Runners will also meet the Tick Queen, deep beneath the surface.
  • Expedition: Phase 1 of a PvE-only mode built around a three-run series. You can play solo or with a crew, with no PvP threats, and use Flash Boosts to shape your build during a run.
  • Deathmatch (Beta): an experimental PvP mode with short 3v3 Team Deathmatch matches. Two crews compete for points without risking their permanent loadouts.
  • Limbo: a new social space with firing ranges for testing weapons and gear, and a dueling pit for challenging other players.
  • Bishop Runner shell: built around a fast, surgical, blade-wielding robot.
  • New weapons: the V17 Flamethrower for short-range area denial, and the Maverick, a revolver with a hand-cannon feel.

Why does the Expedition mode matter?

Expedition is the first PvE-only mode in the list, and it is labeled Phase 1, which suggests more is planned. Players who find extraction shooters stressful because of other crews get a way to take on combat and environmental challenges without PvP threats.

The Deathmatch beta works the other way. Because matches do not put permanent loadouts at risk, it is a lower-stakes place to practice with the new weapons.

When can you play it?

The update launches December 8 for all players, and Open Play Week covers December 8 to 15. Sony’s page notes that online play on console needs a paid-for subscription, sold separately, and that cross-save needs a Bungie.net account linked to the system network account on each platform.

Who should jump in?

Returning players. The Perimeter changes and the Burrows and Reservoir areas give a reason to revisit a map you know.

Solo and co-op fans. Expedition removes PvP threats, so it suits people who prefer to play against the environment.

Newcomers. Open Play Week from December 8 to 15 is the window to try the game on PS5 before deciding.

What is still unknown?

The sources we read do not say how long the Deathmatch beta will run, what Expedition’s later phases contain, or what the Open Play Week access terms are beyond the dates. Check Sony’s and Bungie’s official pages closer to launch for patch notes.

Next step: read the PlayStation Blog post for the first details on Perimeter and Expedition, and watch for Bungie’s full patch notes on December 8.