Bungie announces Marathon closed playtest after months of silence

Bungie has opened registration for the Marathon Closed Technical Test. The playtest for the extraction shooter will run under NDA from October 22 to 28 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Steam) for players in NA and Europe. Invitations will be sent out in waves throughout the period.

Bungie has opened applications for the Marathon Closed Technical Test, an invite-only playtest under NDA, available to players in North America and Europe on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The test runs from October 22 at 10 a.m. PT to October 28 at 10 a.m. PT, with invitations distributed in waves during this period.

Applications on Bungie.net are now open and will close on October 16 at 4 p.m. PT. PC players will also be able to request access via Steam from October 13 at 10 a.m. PT until October 26 at 4 p.m. PT. Bungie says this build focuses on early-experience improvements and will be followed by a broader development update in the coming months.

How to join Marathon Closed Technical Test

• Go to the Marathon Closed Technical Test page on Bungie.net and sign in with your Bungie, PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, Epic, or Twitch account.
• Submit the application form (a few questions about your background, hardware, preferred platforms, and gaming experience).
• Wait for an email from Bungie or check the page periodically (invites are sent in waves).

Please note that participation is limited and by invitation only. Moreover, an NDA means that you cannot stream, record, or share playtest materials publicly.

Troubled development of Marathon

Marathon is a team-based casual (for the genre) extraction shooter from the creators of Destiny and Halo. Bungie has been conducting closed playtests through 2025, culminating in this month’s technical test to validate recent changes before proceeding to the next steps.

Marathon was originally scheduled for release on September 23, 2025, but Bungie delayed it following an extended review of players’ and content creators’ feedback during the spring 2025 alpha test. A new release date has not yet been set. The studio said it would share a broader public update on its extraction shooter this fall.

Sony has indicated that it still aims to launch Marathon within its current fiscal year, before April 2026, but stressed that this is not a commitment or an official date. The comments came alongside talk of Bungie being integrated more closely with PlayStation Studios.

This technical beta also tests features players asked for—and that are typical for extraction shooters—most notably proximity voice chat (alongside a solo queue, tuned combat pacing, and more content of all types). Earlier this year, Bungie announced that proximity voice wouldn’t ship due to toxicity concerns, but it has now decided to acknowledge players’ feedback.

Marathon plagiarism controversy

In May 2025, independent artist Antireal (a.k.a. 4nt1r34l) accused Bungie of using elements of her 2017 work in Marathon’s alpha. Bungie acknowledged unauthorized use, attributing it to a former employee, and stated that it would review in-game assets and tighten crediting procedures, while reaching out to the artist to resolve the issue.

Marathon is Bungie’s live service team-based extraction shooter in development for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam), delayed indefinitely. The studio has not announced a new release date yet. Sony has indirectly suggested a target window before April 2026, but this timing is not a confirmed launch date.