Marathon's mid-season update adds Vault Breaker PvE mode on July 21, Season 3 set for September 22

Bungie has detailed Marathon's mid-season update, dropping July 21, and its headline addition is Vault Breaker — a new experimental PvE mode that lets players explore the endgame Cryo Archive map without running into other players.

Vault Breaker supports solo, duo, and full crew play, and sends runners through a series of progressively harder vaults building toward a final boss and a mysterious entity. To queue up, players need a special Sponsored Kit. Any gear found inside stays behind on exfil — Bungie is deliberately keeping the mode as a closed ecosystem so it doesn't flood the wider loot economy with high-power Cryo gear. The one exception is Vault Data, a new currency earned inside the mode that can be extracted and spent on Vault Breaker Sponsored Kit upgrades or gear usable in other modes. Notably, beating the final boss in Vault Breaker won't reward the coveted S'Phticie shell cosmetics — those still require clearing the PvP version of Cryo Archive. The update also introduces the first iteration of the Cradle Evolution system, letting players reset a maxed-out Cradle back to zero in exchange for one additional maximum Energy point and unique cosmetics. Bungie says those cosmetics can be earned before they officially appear in-game, though they won't be available until later in the season. Cradle progression speed is also getting a bump. Further quality-of-life changes, including tuning adjustments and player profile stats, are coming with the update but will be detailed closer to launch.

Marathon has been struggling to hold onto players since launch, and Bungie has been visibly scrambling to broaden the game's appeal. A free trial at the start of Season 2 didn't move the needle much. Vault Breaker is the most direct response yet to one of the loudest complaints — that Cryo Archive is too punishing for players who aren't already fluent in PvP extraction. Bungie also confirmed Season 3 starts September 22, promising big changes to the early game experience, new weapons, new equipment, and a fresh Runner shell.

Community reaction to Vault Breaker has been broadly positive. YouTuber Kelski called it "pretty cool stuff" while noting Bungie is clearly trying to expand the game's scope fast, with the jury still out on whether that wins new fans or alienates the existing base. On Reddit, players who dropped off early are expressing genuine interest in returning — one user who quit in week two specifically because of the PvP focus said the mode is "piquing my interest for sure." Solo players are also relieved: while solo runs in the PvP Cryo Archive were technically possible, they were brutally difficult given the squad-based design. Vault Breaker finally gives lone runners a realistic path through the endgame map.