Wondering if Bungie’s new Marathon game is delayed? Here’s the latest on the release date, pre-orders, open beta, and public playtests for Marathon in 2025.
Bungie’s new extraction shooter, Marathon, has been the talk of the community for months. But with new reports coming out, many are now wondering if the game will actually hit its expected release date, or if a delay is on the way.
Let’s break down exactly what’s going on with Marathon’s launch plans, including pre-orders, the open beta, and playtests.
What’s Going On With Marathon’s Release?
Marathon is Bungie’s next big game after Destiny, that’s been in development for over five years. But recently, things haven’t exactly been smooth. According to several reports, the team behind Marathon has faced a rough patch after a closed alpha test received a lot of negative feedback. Players and even Bungie employees themselves were critical of the gameplay direction and overall experience.
On top of that, the studio found itself dealing with an art plagiarism controversy from the alpha build, which led to a public apology from the game’s art director. The morale inside the studio has been described as in “free-fall.”
What Happened With Marathon’s Pre-Orders and Marketing?
Originally, Bungie had big marketing plans lined up. There was supposed to be a brand-new trailer and the start of pre-orders in June 2025. However, a new report now claims that these pre-order plans and the planned trailer have both been scrapped.
This decision seems to have come after Bungie released the Closed Alpha of the game, which received mixed reactions from both fans and critics alike.
Is There Still Going to Be an Open Beta For Marathon?
Bungie previously confirmed that there will be a Marathon open beta, which was reportedly set for August 2025. This was expected to give players a more polished look at the game and help Bungie gather feedback before launch.
However, based on the latest reports, this open beta may no longer happen as originally planned. Instead, Bungie is now said to be considering a series of public playtests. The idea here is to let players try out the game in stages, rather than all at once in a single open beta event. As of now, nothing official has been announced about new dates or formats for these playtests.
Why Are There Rumors of a Delay?
A few key things have changed that are fueling the delay rumors:
- Negative Feedback: The recent closed alpha playtests didn’t land well, with many players criticizing the overall direction of the game.
- Art Plagiarism Controversy: Bungie also faced major backlash after an artist claimed the studio used her 2017 artwork in Marathon’s alpha build. The art director publicly apologized for this, adding even more pressure on the team.
- Internal Uncertainty: Reports say morale at Bungie has hit a low point, with employees describing the mood as “the vibes have never been worse.”
Is Marathon Officially Delayed?
As of right now, Bungie has not officially announced a delay for Marathon. The release date is still listed as September 23, 2025, and there has been no public statement saying otherwise.
That said, with all the changes to marketing, pre-orders, and beta plans, not to mention the recent reports of issues with development, many in the community and industry are now questioning whether the game can actually hit its planned launch date.
For now, all eyes are on Bungie for the next update. If you’re hoping to play Marathon soon, keep an eye out for news about the upcoming public playtests.
As soon as Bungie shares anything official about the release date, we’ll update you here.
What do you think about these changes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
