The much-anticipated launch of Marathon is today, March 5th, and after a successful Server Slam test last weekend, developer Bungie seems to be generating some positive buzz. However, for now, only players on current-generation consoles or PC can join the action.

According to recent findings, the ESRB rating page for Bungie’s new title includes mentions of versions for PS4 and Xbox One, which have not been officially announced yet. The ESRB rating states that “Marathon is rated T for Teen,” with content descriptors for Animated Blood, Language, and Violence. This rating is expected, given that the game features considerable shooting and melee combat against both augmented humans and android foes.

Here’s a screenshot of the ESRB rating page, should these details vanish:

There are two potential explanations for the mentions of last-gen consoles. The first is that it might be a simple error on the ESRB’s part—after all, franchises like Call of Duty still release games for older hardware. This could lead to assumptions that Bungie’s multiplayer title might follow a similar path if one isn’t closely following industry news.

The second possibility is more intriguing: it could indicate the existence of versions for older consoles being hinted at before an official announcement has been made, which is not uncommon with ratings organizations often leaking details about future releases. Regardless, this adds an interesting twist, especially with the game welcoming players later today.

Another consideration is whether Marathon could realistically run on last-gen hardware, given its intricate level designs and visual fidelity. The Server Slam showed decent performance on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, suggesting the game was likely optimized for current-gen technology.

With other multiplayer titles that utilize expansive environments, like Fortnite and Apex Legends, starting to encounter limitations on previous generation consoles, it may be surprising if Marathon can successfully bridge this gap. However, the game’s distinctive art style might translate better on older graphics than more realistic designs would.

As speculation continues about the potential for last-gen compatibility, particularly with reports of Sony moving away from PC ports for their single-player titles, it’s possible they may focus on expanding the availability of their multiplayer offerings across more platforms.

In the meantime, we have reached out to Bungie for further clarification.