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Bungie Reopens Marathon Testing After Delay, Promises Big Changes and PlayStation Integration
October 8, 2025Marathon is back on the testing track. Nearly four months after Bungie pulled the plug on its original September 23 launch, the studio’s ambitious PvP shooter is returning for a closed technical test this October. Sign-ups are open now for the event, which runs from October 22 to 27.
This test isn’t just a rehash of the last round. Bungie says players will experience three new maps, five unique runner shells, proximity chat, a refined solo queue, and deeper environmental storytelling. Combat pacing has been retuned, and the studio is eager to see how these tweaks land with participants.
The build heading into testing is still a work in progress, focused on what Bungie calls “the early player experience.” Don’t expect the full package just yet. Players who get in the door will be under NDA, so impressions won’t hit social media, but the developers say a public update on Marathon’s progress is coming in the next few months.
Delay Sparks Controversy, Prompts Sony to Step In
Bungie’s Marathon delay in June didn’t happen in a vacuum. Players’ mixed reactions to earlier alpha tests, along with a heated controversy over stolen art assets in those builds, created turbulence for the project. The response prompted Bungie to publicly hit pause and revisit Marathon from the drawing board.
According to Bungie, the extra time was needed to refine and test, not to mention rebuild community trust after the artwork debacle. Sony, which owns Bungie, has since taken a closer interest in the game’s development. Sony’s CFO Lin Tao recently laid out her expectations: the shooter should launch by the end of March 2026, and the goal is “completely integrate” Bungie into PlayStation Studios over time.
When pressed on whether Marathon might be scrapped entirely, Lin Tao was blunt.“We are now fixing the problems, so we believe this launch will happen,” she said. Cancellation, according to her, is not on the table. “If this launch is cancelled, we’d need to do the revision of the valuation; however, as of now, this is not expected.”
A Crucial Moment for Bungie’s Shooter
This technical test is a pivotal checkpoint for Bungie, both to prove that recent changes are moving the needle and to reassure Sony that the project is back on solid footing. With new maps, revamped gameplay, and more narrative layers, Marathon’s beta aims to show players (and stakeholders) that Bungie is listening and improving.
Still, it’s clear there’s pressure. Marathon’s future is now deeply tied to PlayStation’s vision for Bungie as a cornerstone of its live service ambitions. Whether this round of testing creates the right momentum will shape when and if players outside closed doors get to see what Bungie has been building. For now, the studio is clearly not letting this shooter go quietly into the night.
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