Marathon's new experimental Vault Breaker mode has loot you can't take with you

Extraction shooters are all about gathering loot and escaping with it before someone or something can take it from you, and Marathon is no different. You jump into matches, eliminate enemies, both computer-controlled and human-controlled, and try to escape with as much as you possibly can. In the game's next experimental mode, however, things are going to be different, as any loot you gather doesn't exit with you.

Named Vault Breaker, players head into Marathon's Cryo Archive raid map as either a solo player, a duo, or a trio, and take on a series of vaults, each more difficult than the last. You'll enter with a special Sponsored Kit unique to the mode, and find gear and items as you progress through the mode.

What makes Vault Breaker stand out from other modes in the FPS game, however, is the fact that any gear you find on your journey doesn't come with you at the end, like in other playlists. Instead, you will earn Vault Data, which you can then use to upgrade your Sponsored Kit before your next run.

According to Bungie, this mode will allow players to "experience Cryo Archive without flooding the economy with low-risk, high-power Cryo loot." This makes a lot of sense, especially when you consider that Marathon already has a loot problem that they're trying to solve.

The announcement comes on the back of the success of another of Marathon's experimental modes, named Sponsored Survival. In it, players are dropped into a "PvP-lite" game on Night Marsh where they can loot alone until Rooks arrive late in the game to try and steal everything from you. It's proven to be popular with players looking for a more relaxing experience, and Bungie will hope that Vault Breaker will be just as successful.

Vault Breaker arrives as part of Marathon Season 2's Mid-Season update on Tuesday, July 21, alongside the new Cradle Evolution System, which allows you to reset it to zero to earn additional Energy points. Bungie will be hoping that it goes better than the season's launch, which saw error codes and server outages leave players locked out. Fingers crossed things go better this time, as I can't wait to try out the new mode.