Marathon, Bungie's live-service extraction shooter, launched its highly anticipated Season 2 on June 2, 2026, with a free one-week trial, overhauled progression systems, a new character type, and a horror-themed nighttime map. The release was designed to attract both returning players and newcomers, especially after the game was featured during Sony’s PlayStation State of Play showcase. However, within hours of launch, players encountered widespread server outages and recurring error codes like 'Weasel' and 'Anteater.' By late afternoon, Bungie took the servers offline to deploy emergency fixes, delaying the full rollout.

The studio acknowledged the issues on social media, stating they needed more time to complete maintenance and deploy a patch. As compensation, Bungie promised free loot packs to all affected players. Despite brief returns to service, instability persisted through the evening. The misstep was especially damaging given the game’s strategic push for visibility and growth at a time when Bungie faces internal challenges, including reported layoffs and the winding down of Destiny 2’s major content.

Servers were restored by early June 3, with error frequency significantly reduced. The incident underscores the high stakes of technical reliability in live-service games, where first impressions can determine long-term survival. While Season 2’s content has drawn positive early feedback from those who played, the launch-day chaos may have cost Marathon crucial momentum during a key promotional window.