Marathon developer Bungie announced the game’s release date during its gameplay reveal showcase. Read on to learn more about what to expect in the game and Marathon’s Closed Alpha Playtest.
Marathon Coming on September 23
Returning to Tau Ceti
Destiny and Halo developer Bungie held a gameplay reveal showcase on April 13 for its upcoming first-person extraction shooter Marathon. The game focuses on multiplayer strategies where six teams of three players compete against each other and AI-controlled enemies to secure loot and successfully extract items.
This is a huge departure compared to the original trilogy of the game. The first Marathon was released in 1994, its sequel Marathon 2: Durandal in 1995, and the final game in the trilogy, Marathon Infinity, was released in 1996. All of the games in the series were story-driven, single-player focused games.
In a PlayStation.blog post on April 12, Bungie developers shared some details on what players can expect in Marathon. Despite this shift to a multiplayer-focused approach, Marathon Narrative Leader Jonathan Goff stated that they would still capture the experiential storytelling foundation that has been a hallmark of Bungie games.
Goff explained, "The interweaving of narratives, events, and characters in the original trilogy delivered a world of discovery, wonder, and misdirection." He added, "At the end of the day, our goal with Marathon is not to tell a story, but to build worlds in which stories can and will unfold."
Making Marathon a "Story Engine"
Based on the reveal stream, fans noticed the game’s huge emphasis on money, with everything in the players’ inventory having a sell price and a clarified visual on what players can extract from a map. However, Bungie pointed out that getting rich isn’t the only thing players can do in the game.
The developers’ goal for Marathon is for it to be a "story engine", producing memorable fights and lasting memories despite failing a mission or leaving the map with nothing to show for. Marathon Game Director Joe Ziegler spoke with PC Gamer last week and explained the direction they are taking the game.
He stated, "What we're trying to do is say, 'how do you go on adventures and then feel that survival challenge, that survival story that you're making?' Some of the best survival stories and moments I've had in gaming are actually failures or weird things that have happened, right?" Ziegler wanted to emphasize that survivability is not the only measure of success, but having a good story out of a run is.
Working With Fans and Creators
Bungie has been working with fans and content creators throughout the development of Marathon. From its early stages and even before entering production, players were playtesting early prototypes and provided substantial feedback for the game.
One of the feedback they received is that maps feel unfair and unpredictable, as players can camp spawns forever, or loot that your team aims for could have already been taken. Ziegler stated, "After hearing this feedback, we moved to the design we have today, where each match is a fresh start for everyone. This consistent starting point means you and your teammates can better strategize before each run, and then you can race enemy teams to fight for the loot you’re looking for,"
Marathon Closed Alpha Playtest
Bungie will be conducting its alpha playtest for Marathon starting on April 23 until May 4. This playlist will be region-restricted, with only residents from the U.S. and Canada being able to participate.
The closed alpha will feature four Runners for players to try, namely Blackbird, which is similar to Destiny 2’s Warlock, Void, which has tactical invisibility, Locus, which has a tactical shield, and Glitch, which has great mobility. Furthermore, there will be three maps available to play in, such as Perimeter, which is a woodland map for five crews (15 players), and Dire Marsh, which is a more open map for six crews (18 players).
To sign up, players can check out the official Discord server of Marathon, visit the alpha-access channel, enter the "/alpha" command, and wait for Bungie’s notification whether they are invited. It is important to note that the playtest is closed alpha, which means an invitation is not guaranteed since it is the first time the game is out in public.
There have been no official announcements regarding other playtests beyond the mentioned regions. Marathon is set to be released on September 23, 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, check out our article below!
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Marathon Gameplay Reveal Showcase - Livestream
Marathon launches September 23 on PS5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S, gameplay revealed
