Bungie has announced the first closed alpha for its upcoming game, Marathon, starting on April 23 and running through May 4. The alpha will be exclusively available to residents of the U.S. and Canada, with future tests expected to be conducted in other regions.
This initiative follows the release of a new cinematic trailer that also revealed the game’s official launch date of September 23. Marathon marks a significant milestone for Bungie as it is the studio’s first new title since Destiny 2, which debuted in September 2017.
Unlike the original Marathon games from the mid-’90s, the upcoming sequel is an extraction shooter, a genre that has gained prominence only in recent years. Bungie originally introduced Marathon during the May 2023 PlayStation Games Showcase, but there has been little information released about the game in the meantime.
However, a recent gameplay reveal on April 12 has reinvigorated excitement among fans. The closed alpha is set to support PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S platforms.
Participants selected for testing will need to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) prior to accessing the pre-release version of the game. To qualify for the alpha, players must be U.S. or Canadian residents aged 18 or older.
Interested players can express their intention by typing /alpha into a designated message channel and will need to check their email for an invitation to participate. Although Marathon is poised to launch with three maps, it remains unclear if the closed alpha will include the same content.
Some players have reported issues with the sign-up process, particularly those whose usernames begin with a number or special character. Bungie is actively addressing these technical difficulties.