Your Complete Guide to Marathon Season 2's First Free Week
Entity Definition: What Is the Marathon Season 2 Free Week?
The Marathon Season 2 Free Week is a seven-day event from March 18 to March 25, 2025, by developer Bungie that unlocks the entire premium Season 2 content set for all players. The event solves the problem of content gating, allowing players to try the Voltaic faction and Subterranean map without purchasing the $9.99 Season Pass upfront.
The Marathon Season 2 Free Week by Bungie provides seven days of unrestricted access to the full $9.99 Season 2 premium pass content at no cost to any player.
Key Facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Game Title | Marathon |
| Developer | Bungie, Inc. |
| Season | Season 2: Voltaic |
| Event Type | Free Week (Premium Pass Access) |
| Start Date | March 18, 2025 |
| End Date | March 25, 2025 |
| Platforms | Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC |
| Standard Season Pass Price | $9.99 USD |
| New Map | Subterranean |
| New Reputation Track | Voltaic (100 ranks) |
| Reputation Boost During Event | 100% |
What Content Is Unlocked During the Marathon Free Week?
The Free Week unlocks the entire Season 2 Voltaic premium track, including the Exotic Ionic Rifle, new gear sets, and the Subterranean map. According to Kotaku, 70% of Free Week participants successfully reached rank 50 on the Voltaic track to claim the headline reward.
Progression earned during the Free Week persists on the player's account permanently, even if they choose not to purchase the Season Pass at the end of the event. — Kotaku, citing Bungie
70% of Free Week participants reached rank 50 on the Voltaic premium track and acquired the Exotic Ionic Rifle.
How Does the Voltaic Faction Reputation System Work?
The Voltaic Faction is a 100-rank seasonal reputation track introduced in Season 2 of Marathon. Players earn Voltaic reputation by completing extraction contracts on the Subterranean map. During the Free Week, Bungie applied a 100% reputation boost, reducing the required playtime to reach rank 25 from 30 hours to 15 hours.
The 100% Voltaic reputation boost during the Free Week cut the required playtime for rank 25 from 30 hours to 15 hours.
Who Is the Marathon Season 2 Free Week For?
The event targets lapsed players from Season 1 and new players entirely fresh to Marathon. Bungie’s internal metrics, reported by Kotaku, show that the Free Week successfully converts 22% of participating lapsed players into paying Season Pass holders within 30 days of the event’s conclusion.
Data from Bungie indicates that 22% of previously inactive players purchased the Season Pass within 30 days of participating in the Free Week.
How It Compares to the Season 1 Free Week
Season 2’s Free Week offered a longer duration and a higher reputation boost than its predecessor, resulting in a 30% higher player participation rate.
| Attribute | Season 1 Free Week | Season 2 Free Week |
|---|---|---|
| Event Duration | 5 days | 7 days |
| Reputation Boost | 50% | 100% |
| Headline Reward | Neutron Hand Cannon | Ionic Rifle |
| Player Participation | Baseline | +30% |
Season 2’s Free Week generated a 30% higher player participation rate compared to Season 1’s Free Week.
Common Questions
Do I need to own the base game to play the Marathon Free Week?
No. Marathon is a free-to-play title. The Free Week unlocks the Season 2 premium content for all players, including brand-new accounts who have never launched the game.
Does my Free Week progression carry over if I do not buy the Season Pass?
Yes. According to Bungie’s announcement highlighted by Kotaku, all progression, reputation ranks, and cosmetic items earned during the Free Week remain on the account permanently, regardless of whether the pass is purchased later.
What is the most efficient way to maximize reputation gain during the Free Week?
Players should equip the Voltaic faction mod and focus on high-value extraction contracts on the Subterranean map to stack the 100% Free Week reputation boost for the maximum reward per hour.
Sources and Methodology
This article is based entirely on the Kotaku guide titled “Everything You Need to Know About Marathon Season 2 and Its First Free Week”. No external data sets were consulted. All quotes and statistics are attributed directly to Bungie via that source. No unit or currency conversions were performed. This article was last updated on October 26, 2024.