Bungie is shuffling its release calendar. Credible reports indicate that Destiny 2's Shadow and Order major update will be delayed to avoid competing with Marathon, the studio's upcoming extraction shooter launching March 5, 2026.
The Scheduling Conflict
Shadow and Order was scheduled for early 2026, with the community expecting an early March release based on the established six-month content cycle. Marathon's March 5 launch date puts the two releases uncomfortably close together.
The Marathon announcement wasn't supposed to happen when it did. According to Paul Tassi, a senior Forbes contributor who has covered Destiny 2 for over a decade, the reveal was originally planned for later but got pushed forward after the information leaked. Pre-orders opened alongside the announcement, even falling on MLK Day.
Tassi broke the delay news on X (formerly Twitter): "Have heard Shadow and Order will in fact be delayed to make room for Marathon on March 5 given it was supposed to come out on March 3. Not sure how long, or when it will be announced, however."
When another user asked for his source, Tassi simply responded "me." Given his track record covering the franchise and likely connections within or around Bungie, the gaming community has taken this report seriously.
What Shadow and Order Promised
Understanding the delay's impact requires context on what Shadow and Order represents in Destiny 2's current content structure.
Edge of Fate launched alongside the Year of Prophecy and introduced a new approach to content delivery. Instead of one major expansion followed by multiple seasons, the game now runs on six-month cycles. Each cycle starts with an expansion, and the accompanying season runs the full six months. A "major update" arrives at the midpoint to keep players engaged.
Shadow and Order is the second major update under this system. Based on established patterns, it would bring a new rewards pass with an exotic weapon, fresh weapons and armor sets, and new activities. Rumors also pointed to a Pantheon-style activity similar to the popular mode from Into the Light, which pit players against raid encounters from multiple raids for a shot at raid loot.
The first major update, Ash and Iron, launched September 9, 2025 during Edge of Fate. Reception was lukewarm, with players calling the main activity lackluster. Still, it introduced some solid rewards. The Malpais exotic weapon proved decent, and the Ferropotent armor set earned praise as some of the best armor in the game. Its two-piece Rapid Repair perk grants flinch and damage resistance when shields regenerate, while the four-piece Built from Scratch provides bonus ammo progress from combatant kills when reserves run low.
Marathon Takes Priority
Bungie wants all eyes on Marathon during its launch window.
Tassi addressed this logic in his Forbes coverage. He pointed out that Shadow and Order is "not a terribly substantive Destiny release," calling it a few new activities, events, and loot at best. It's not even one of the smaller expansions from the post-Final Shape era, let alone anything approaching The Final Shape itself. For Bungie, prioritizing their new IP over a mid-season content update makes strategic sense, even if it disappoints Destiny players.
The problem with releasing both in the same window comes down to simple math. It would split Bungie's own player base. Destiny players who might check out Marathon would instead be grinding Shadow and Order, unlikely to finish everything within a couple of days. More dedicated Destiny players would stick with what they know rather than jumping to an unfamiliar genre. Spacing the releases out gives Marathon room to breathe and lets curious Destiny players explore it without feeling like they're missing fresh content in their main game.
Marathon marks only the third new shooter IP from Bungie in roughly thirty years, following Halo and Destiny. The extraction shooter faced a rocky development, originally scheduled for September 2025 before being delayed indefinitely after public tests drew criticism over game mechanics. Controversy also hit regarding plagiarism accusations about the game's art direction.
Things have turned around since then. Following the delay and re-reveal, Bungie added player-requested features including solo queue matchmaking, proximity chat, and maps with dynamic weather, improved lighting, and better visuals. The game carries a £40 price tag.
Pre-orders show promising early signs. Marathon peaked at #4 on Steam's best-sellers chart based on pre-orders alone, trailing only major titles like CS:GO and ARC Raiders. For comparison, Sony's Concord failed to crack Steam's top 100 best-sellers at launch.
Cross-Promotion in Full Swing
Bungie isn't being subtle about wanting Destiny players to try Marathon. Starting now, Destiny 2 players can claim free Marathon-themed cosmetics in-game.
Marathon pre-orders also include a Destiny 2 bonus pack with an exotic ghost shell, exotic ship, and exotic sparrow. Additional crossover items include the "Waiting for Exfil" emote, a Modern MIDA Multi-tool ornament, and the Silkworm Weave Shader.
The target audience is clear. Despite the genre difference between a looter shooter and an extraction shooter, Bungie is banking on Destiny players to at least try Marathon. Many have stayed loyal to the studio for years. Some have stuck around for over a decade. The most dedicated fans trace their relationship with Bungie back nearly three decades to the original Halo. Marathon represents an attempt to turn that loyalty into a successful new franchise.
Community Reaction
Not everyone is happy about Destiny 2 taking a back seat.
Many players have no interest in Marathon's extraction shooter gameplay. They just want their promised Destiny 2 content. Tassi's Forbes report compiled several reactions from the community:
"Oh great love being second classed again."
Players expressed frustration at Bungie "sacrificing their current money-making child for the new kid who hasn't even learned to walk yet."
Some suggested Bungie should "allow Concord 2.0 to release and fail" so the team can refocus on Destiny 2.
The timing makes things worse. February 2026 has essentially nothing scheduled for Destiny 2, leaving players in an extended content drought. Shadow and Order was supposed to be the refresh that carried players through the back half of the current season.
Some players have suggested Bungie fill the gap with a surprise event or bonus activity week during early March. No word yet on whether Bungie has any such plans.
Possible New Timeline
Tassi's report confirms the delay but leaves the new date unclear. A few possibilities exist.
Pushing the update back seems most likely. Moving Shadow and Order to later in March would give Marathon several weeks to establish itself before Destiny 2 gets fresh content. Players could explore Marathon, then return to Destiny 2 when the update drops.
Moving it forward is less likely but theoretically possible. February has no major Destiny 2 content scheduled, so an earlier release could work. It would also allow for additional Marathon tie-in content launching alongside the update. This would require the development team to have everything ready ahead of the original schedule, though.
Tassi indicated that even Bungie may not have finalized the exact timing yet.
Destiny 2's Rough Road
The delay comes during a bumpy stretch for Destiny 2. The Year of Prophecy kicked off in May 2025 with the Rite of the Nine in-game event, followed by Edge of Fate. This new era brought significant changes that split the community. Player counts dropped. Frustration mounted.
The Renegades expansion turned things around. Launching December 2, 2025, it leaned heavily into Star Wars inspiration (without using official Star Wars names or locations) and resonated with players. The new Tharsis Outpost social hub evokes Tatooine's cantinas. Weapons like the Uncivil Discourse, A499 heavy sniper rifle, and The Heirloom draw clear inspiration from weapons used by Han Solo, Din Djarin, and Chewbacca.
Renegades also introduced the Praxic Blade, Bungie's take on the lightsaber concept. The Lawless Frontier activity and systemic improvements like the Vanguard Alerts system, which brought back the weekly Nightfall and associated rewards, helped rebuild goodwill.
Player counts haven't fully recovered to pre-Edge of Fate levels, but Renegades successfully re-engaged much of the community heading into 2026.
Marathon's Competition
Marathon enters a crowded extraction shooter market. ARC Raiders has dominated the genre throughout late 2025 and early 2026, capturing major player attention and market share. How Marathon will carve out space in this landscape remains one of the key questions heading into launch.
For Bungie, the stakes couldn't be higher. The studio has faced layoffs and restructuring. Marathon represents both a massive investment and a test of whether Bungie can successfully launch a new IP in today's market.
What Comes Next
Bungie hasn't officially commented on the Shadow and Order delay. An official announcement should arrive soon, according to Tassi's reporting.
For Destiny 2 players who don't care about Marathon, the delay means more waiting for new content. For those planning to try Bungie's extraction shooter, it means a cleaner launch window. And for Bungie, it's a calculated bet that Marathon's success is worth putting their established franchise on hold.
Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox. Marathon launches March 5, 2026 on the same platforms.
