Classic Marathon Trilogy Now Free on Steam: Bungie's Pre-Halo FPS Legend Returns

Bungie's classic first-person shooter series, Marathon, has finally made its way to Steam, with the entire trilogy now available for free. The release of *Classic Marathon Infinity*, the third and final game in the series, completes a project by Aleph One Developers, a team dedicated to bringing these iconic titles to modern platforms.

Originally released in 1996, *Marathon Infinity

(then simply known as *Marathon*) featured the extensive "Blood Tides of Lh'owon" campaign, playable both solo and cooperatively. This expansive campaign offered 20 levels, introducing fresh enemies and weaponry, a staple of any good FPS sequel.

The Aleph One team, named after the open-source engine they developed based on *Marathon 2*'s source code, has meticulously rebuilt the entire trilogy. They've harnessed the power of this engine to bring the series to Steam, starting with the original *Classic Marathon

in May, followed by *Classic Marathon 2* last month, and culminating with the arrival of *Classic Marathon Infinity*.

Crucially, the release of the Marathon trilogy on Steam is with the full backing of Bungie, the studio behind the series. Bungie has stated their strong support for the community and Aleph One's efforts in bringing the original Marathon games to PC, Linux, and Mac, making it accessible to everyone.

The Aleph One rebuilds offer a plethora of modern conveniences, including optional support for widescreen HUDs, 3D filtering and perspective adjustments, positional audio, and 60+fps interpolation. As the Steam page for *Infinity

cheekily points out, these features are "Just in case the original is too authentic."

While the Marathon games may be a blind spot for many modern FPS fans, primarily due to their initial release on Mac, their arrival on Steam marks their first official release on Windows. It's worth noting that the entire trilogy has been available on the Aleph One website for some time. The website is also worth exploring for fans looking for more, as it hosts a wealth of community-created scenarios for the games.

Although the Aleph One team's project is complete, the Marathon series is far from finished. Bungie is currently working on a new game in the series, this time reimagined as a PvP extraction shooter. Initially slated for release this year, the project, along with Bungie itself, has faced a turbulent period. The game has undergone a change in leadership, with former Valorant game director Joe Ziegler reportedly taking the helm.

Bungie also announced in July that 220 employees were laid off following the launch of *Destiny 2: The Final Shape*, a decision that sparked calls for the resignation of CEO Pete Parsons from former employees. Despite the upheaval, Bungie is still aiming to release the new Marathon game sometime in 2025.

The arrival of the Marathon trilogy on Steam offers a fantastic opportunity for those interested in gaming history, or simply looking for a unique and challenging FPS experience. With its free price tag and modern updates, there's no better time to delve into the world of Marathon and experience the origins of Bungie's celebrated legacy.