Bungie will run another Marathon playtest across four days in December, but this one is smaller in scope than the October sessions and comes with tight limits. The test runs from December 12 to December 16, with play windows each day from 2 pm to 8 pm PT. Access is invite-only and limited to players in North America.
The December test keeps the same restrictions players saw in October, except for the region lock. Invitations cannot be shared and the event is, in the developer’s words, “strictly under an NDA” which means participants may not stream or “share your playtest experience publicly.” Bungie will send invites in waves by email, so not getting in right away is not necessarily the end of the line.
Anyone hoping to be considered should head to Bungie’s playtest sign-up page, sign in with the platform of choice and fill out the form. For PC players that means signing in with Steam, although console users can be invited too. Context matters. Sony said earlier this month that Marathon is expected to ship by March 2026, and Bungie’s continued playtests are part of the work toward that target.
Because the December run is closed and region-restricted, it will offer a narrower sample of feedback than the broader October test. That narrows who gets to see changes early and keeps the session details out of public view while Bungie collects reactions under NDA.
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Marathon
Developed by Bungie
A PvP-focused extraction shooter set on the mysterious planet of Tau Ceti IV, Marathon will see players inhabit the bodies of Runners, cybernetic mercenaries who have been designed to survive the planet’s harsh environments and explore the lost colony that once inhabited Tau Ceti’s surface. Players will engage solo or in crews of three, searching for mysterious alien artifacts, as well as for valuable loot and new weapons and gear that they can add to their collection.
- Genre: Shooter
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
- Modes: Multiplayer, Battle Royale
- Publisher: Bungie
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Age Rating:
GRAC 15+
