How to Join Bungie’s Marathon Alpha Test Ahead of Its September Launch

Marathon, the long-dormant sci-fi shooter from Bungie, makes its return in September. For players who want to try out the new game before it comes out, there will be a closed alpha test starting later this month. 

A trilogy of games released on the Mac back in the ’90s, Marathon was the franchise that put Bungie on the map before it released Halo on the original Xbox. This latest iteration of Marathon is a complete overhaul of the original formula, going from an old-school 3D FPS game like Doom to a team-based extraction shooter. Players take the role of runners who drop onto the planet of Tau Ceti IV to search for loot, fortune and secrets.

Here’s what you need to know about Marathon. 

When does Marathon come out? 

Marathon will be released on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series consoles on Sept. 23, 2025. 

How much will Marathon cost? 

Bungie hasn’t yet provided a price as of the game’s reveal on Saturday. The developer did say on its Marathon X account that the game will not a “full-priced title,” which should refer to the standard $70 price tag on new games. There is speculation that Marathon could be priced from $40-$50 although at that price, there will likely be a wealth of microtransactions. 

When does the Marathon closed alpha test start? 

The closed alpha test begins on April 23. 

How can I join the Marathon closed alpha test? 

Those interested in joining the closed alpha test can sign up by joining the Marathon Discord channel. 

What is this new Marathon? 

Marathon has players, either as a team or solo, explore the lost human colony on Tau Ceti IV. They’ll have to explore zones occupied by rival players, computer-controlled forces, and other threats on the planet. Players choose from different runner classes, such as the stealth Void that can use active camo. 

The game is an extraction shooter, the latest craze in gaming genres. Extraction shooters differ from looter shooters such as Borderlands and The Division, because players need to escape the area (in other words, extract themselves) in order to keep all the loot they’ve gathered. Die and all those goodies are up for grabs for other players. The more loot players return with, the better the chances of survival. 

How does the new Marathon game connect to the older games? 

In the original Marathon games, Tau Ceti IV was the home to a human colony of 30,000 people. It was ultimately destroyed by an alien race called the Pfhor that was working with an AI called Durandal. 

At the end of the gameplay reveal on Saturday, Bungie released a cinematic video providing some insight about the Runners exploring Tau Ceti IV. There are some questions about what really happened to the colony, and the details about this will ultimately be revealed as players explore the world.