Bungie opens up Marathon alpha access invites, here’s how to get yours

Bungie is lifting the lid on Marathon, the Halo and Destiny studio’s brand-new extraction shooter with a sleek modern sci-fi edge. Shifting the action to stealing loot and wiping out enemy squads before they escape into outer space, Marathon alpha access will give you a taste of the game’s firefights before launch. However, getting an alpha invite is just as competitive as the game.

How do I sign up for the Marathon alpha?

To get Marathon alpha access, you need to make a Discord account and join the official Marathon Discord server. Bungie is exclusively inviting players from this community space to participate in the FPS game’s upcoming closed alpha test. Although Marathon is coming to platforms as a paid title, there isn’t an opportunity to pre-order the game to secure perks like early access – at least not yet.

When you get your Discord download locked in and become part of the Marathon Discord server, there are a few extra steps you need to take, too. Here’s what you need to do:

• Type in this command, /alpha, in any of the server’s channels
• A private message with a survey link will be sent to you. Tap that link
• Finish the survey
• Once this is done, your Marathon alpha sign-up is complete

When is the Marathon alpha?

The Marathon alpha begins on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, and concludes on Sunday, May 4, 2024. There is a small caveat, though, and that’s because the Marathon alpha is limited to players in North America and Canada. If you’re in other regions of the world, you can still attempt to gain access, though your experience will likely be hindered massively by latency issues and exceptionally high ping.

Bungie is enforcing a strict NDA on Marathon’s alpha, so you won’t be able to record and share your gameplay without penalties. If you are selected to play Marathon early, you can also gain two priority access codes to give to your friends. However, these codes don’t guarantee a spot in the alpha, merely a higher chance of being selected to play the game.

You can play Marathon on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows-based PCs, which means portable gaming consoles like the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go fall under the game’s umbrella. Whether Marathon’s Steam Deck gameplay functions well is yet to be seen.

Marathon could be a promising next step for Bungie. If you aren’t so fussed about Destiny 2, this vibrant fusion of The Finals style drip and Apex Legends-infused combat is a winning combination on paper, but the proof will be in the pudding at launch on September 23, 2025.

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