Bungie is sending invites for Marathon Closed Playtest 3 with a longer daily session window and strict NDA rules.
Marathon’s slow-and-steady march continues. After Bungie officially delayed the extraction shooter past its original September 2025 release date, the studio said it would keep testing behind closed doors and gather more feedback before launch. We’ve already seen two invite-only playtests this summer, and now a third round is on the way.
Playtest 1, which happened in late June, and Playtest 2 in late July, were short evening sessions with tight NDAs and feedback going through private Discord channels. Today, selected players started receiving a new email from the Marathon dev team confirming Closed Playtest 3 with a longer daily window and the usual steps to lock in a spot.
Marathon Playtest 3: Dates, Times, How to Join
According to the email, Marathon Closed Playtest 3 runs from September 5 to 7, with a 2 to 8 PM PT window each day. Players who are invited need to complete the short survey and RSVP by September 1 at 11:59 PM PT to secure a spot.
As with earlier tests, spots are limited, and the NDA prohibits sharing any info or assets outside Maraton’s designated private Discord channels. Access codes and instructions will be sent next week to those who confirm.
Here’s the daily session window in other time zones:
- ET: 5 to 11 PM (same day)
- BST: 10 PM to 4 AM (next day)
- CEST: 11 PM to 5 AM (next day)
- GST (UAE): 1 to 7 AM (next day)
- UTC: 21:00 to 03:00 (next day)
Keep in mind that Marathon Closed Playtest 3 is invite-only, so there’s no public sign-up or waitlist.
Here’s the full text of the email Bungie sent:
“We would like to invite you to join us for Marathon Closed Playtest 3! The playtest will run during a window of 2–8 PM PT from 9/5 to 9/7. If you are interested, please fill out this brief survey to confirm your participation. There are limited spots available, so please answer by 11:59 PM PT on 9/1.
“If you choose to participate in this closed playtest, sharing any info or assets outside of the designated private Discord channels will be prohibited. We will be in touch with next steps on how to access your code next week.”
Big picture, Sony leadership recently said they still expect Marathon to arrive within FY2025 (which runs through March 31, 2026), while stressing that this isn’t a final date yet and that the team is “fixing the problems” before locking timing.
Sony also noted Bungie’s independence is “getting lighter” as the studio continues moving under the PlayStation Studios umbrella.
What do you think about Marathon right now? Let us know in the comments below!
