Marathon Symbiosis: free week, PvE and Crew Up access checks

Marathon's Symbiosis update brings dedicated PvE to Bungie's shooter on December 8, 2026. Open Play Week offers a chance to test that change before paying. Check your group, platform and account setup first, especially if you have progress on more than one system.

PvE arrives alongside smaller PvP matches

Expedition is phase one of a permanent PvE mode. Its three-run format supports solo players or a crew, with combat, environmental hazards and Flash Boosts that change a build during a run. There are no rival-player attacks in this mode. Deathmatch Beta instead offers short 3v3 matches without putting permanent loadouts at risk.

Perimeter gains the underground Burrows, submerged Reservoir and Tick Queen encounter. Limbo provides a social space, firing ranges and a dueling pit, while Bishop adds a blade-focused Runner shell. The weapon additions are the V17 Flamethrower and Maverick revolver. For someone who disliked extraction's stakes, the useful question is whether these alternatives make a normal evening session enjoyable.

Free access and rewards end separately

Crew Up starts December 8 at noon Pacific, which is 20:00 UTC, and ends December 22 at 10 a.m. Pacific, or 18:00 UTC. Pacific time is PST on both dates. Those times apply to the Crew Up event; Bungie has not given the hour Open Play ends on December 15 in the announcement reviewed here.

The free period includes the full game. Afterward, a Marathon licence is required to continue the event, and buying preserves earned items and progression. That is different from the test-end reset described in our FragPunk Farlands access and progress guide. Read each game's rules before investing time in temporary access.

Prepare your Crew Up group

Before your first session, agree which friend will host, confirm that everyone can see the same event objective and leave time for setup. A reward checklist is a poor reason to rush a purchase. Decide whether you want to keep playing the game, rather than paying solely because an unfinished cosmetic objective is still visible.

Check your platform before paying

At the November 10 check, Steam's US listing charged $39.99 for Standard and $59.99 for Deluxe, with no discount. The latter adds a Premium Rewards Pass Voucher, 200 SILK Rewards Pass Tokens and six MIDNIGHT DECAY cosmetic styles. These are current US store prices, not a promised December offer or a worldwide price list.

Standard is the sensible starting point if you only want to play. Consider Deluxe only if you specifically want its listed pass and cosmetic extras; do not buy it merely because the update has a new name. Check the final regional price, platform and contents on the listing you will actually use. An upgrade, currency pack or cosmetic bundle should not be mistaken for the base game.

The current PlayStation listing requires PS Plus and online play. Xbox players should check for an eligible paid online-multiplayer subscription on their regional store page. Bungie's announcement also carries a paid-console-subscription requirement, so do not assume Open Play waives it. A solo Expedition run still requires an internet connection; PvE does not mean offline play.

For PC, Steam currently lists Windows 10 64-bit, DirectX 12 and broadband internet. Memory requirements are 8 GB minimum and 16 GB recommended. Compare the full processor and graphics-card list with your machine, then use the trial to judge actual responsiveness. A requirements badge cannot tell you whether your preferred settings will feel comfortable.

Protect progress when changing platforms

Cross-save shares progress and gear through platform accounts linked to the same Bungie.net Profile. It does not include another platform's game licence: continued access requires a compatible copy on each system. If you already played on several platforms separately, inspect your accounts before linking them.

If the expected account does not appear, Bungie's guide recommends restarting the game and platform, then checking Account Linking in Bungie.net Profile Settings. Confirm that the platform account shown is the one you are actually using. Avoid creating extra accounts as an improvised fix; first establish where your existing progress lives.

Make cross-platform invitations work

In Runner Connections, use the Invites tab to search a friend's complete Bungie Name, including the hash and numeric suffix. Cross-play works across all supported platforms, but console-only preferences or platform restrictions can prevent a mixed-platform group from connecting. Xbox cross-network settings and PlayStation's in-game cross-play setting can therefore matter before anyone starts a run.

For missing invitations, Bungie's troubleshooting guide points to the Social settings under Crew: check Crew Invites and Invite Notifications. Consider the privacy implications before making either setting more open. If joining still fails, restart Marathon and follow any displayed error rather than assuming another purchase is needed.

What remains unproven

This is an announcement-based guide, not a hands-on assessment. Download size, maintenance duration and the free week's exact end time still need checking nearer launch. Server reliability, mode balance and long-term variety cannot be established from promotional footage. Leave room in your plans for patching instead of promising friends an immediate start.

Bungie's wider roadmap also separates December's additions from its larger March 2027 plans, including more connected modes, deeper progression and a new zone. Treat those future plans separately when judging this update. If Expedition is your main reason to return, test what is actually playable in December before paying for expectations about March.