Marathon release date revealed in gameplay showcase

Bungie has officially announced Marathon's launch date during its gameplay reveal event. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming title and its Closed Alpha Playtest.

Marathon Arrives September 23

Return to Tau Ceti

The creators of Destiny and Halo revealed exciting new details about Marathon during their April 13 showcase. This tactical extraction shooter pits six teams of three players against each other and AI opponents in high-stakes loot battles.

This represents a radical departure from the original trilogy - single-player narrative experiences released between 1994-1996.

Despite shifting to multiplayer focus, Narrative Lead Jonathan Goff confirms Bungie will maintain their signature storytelling approach. "We're building worlds where stories emerge naturally," he explained, emphasizing player-driven narratives over scripted sequences.

Crafting Marathon's Narrative Framework

The showcase revealed deep economic systems with clear item valuations, though Game Director Joe Ziegler stressed wealth accumulation isn't the sole objective. "We want to create memorable survival stories," he told PC Gamer, noting that failed missions often produce the most compelling tales.

Collaborative Development Process

Bungie incorporated extensive community feedback throughout development, addressing concerns about map fairness by implementing fresh starts for each match. This creates balanced competition for loot while allowing strategic planning.

Marathon Closed Alpha Details

The Closed Alpha runs April 23-May 4 exclusively for U.S. and Canadian players, featuring four distinct Runner classes and three maps showcasing different tactical environments.

Interested players can register through Marathon's Discord server, though invites aren't guaranteed for this initial test. The full game launches September 23, 2025 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC platforms.