Marathon is an extraction shooter. In this genre, the "normal" thing to do is wipe occasionally to keep the game feeling fresh, as well as fair for new players.
This guide will cover what Marathon wipes will look like, and how that stacks up to its major competitors in the genre.
Marathon Seasons
Bungie has stated that each season in Marathon will be around 90 days long. At the end of a season, the game will wipe all players.
Bungie has stated that each season will bring content and features that change the game in meaningful ways:
"...each season will bring new content and features that change the way you master survival, grow your power floor, and progress throughout a season."
What that means, is still to be determined, as we'll be finding out likely closer to season 2's launch, which we've estimated for you.
What "wipe" means
In extraction shooters, most notably Escape From Tarkov which is often referred to as the father of the genre, it is normal to wipe your gameplay state to a fresh start.
This is often a fun time of the year for players, as everyone starts out on even footing with the worst gear, instead of constantly being killed by players who started gathering materials and upgrades months previous.
In Marathon, they are doing this with each season, and it will wipe a majority of your game with a few exceptions:
"These resets include everyone’s gear, contract progression, faction progression, and player level."
"You’ll keep your achievements and ways to express yourself. This includes cosmetics (earned and paid), titles, and other rewards you earn by playing and reaching milestones each season. Your Codex progression also carries over, as unburying the secrets of Tau Ceti takes time."
"A few other things carry over too, such as your liaison contract progression; no need to unlock the factions every season."