Bungie announced the Marathon Closed Technical Test—a multi-region test that isn’t easy to get into. If you’re keen to test out Bungie’s first-person extraction shooter, we’ve got all the details you need to know, from start and end dates to NDA information.
On October 6, Bungie revealed its newest shooter was getting a Closed Technical Test. It’s not the first test Marathon has had, but it’s the next step on the long road to the game’s eventual release.
The new beta is available to a decent number of players, but obtaining Marathon Closed Technical Test access can be challenging.
Marathon Closed Technical Test Start Date
The Marathon Closed Technical Test starts on Wednesday, October 22, at 10 AM PT for most players.
It’s not your usual weekend start for the Technical Test. Instead of a three-day affair like most betas and tests, Bungie is giving you all nearly a week to rack up matches and give you the best chance to absorb the game and put you in the perfect position to leave feedback.
When Does Marathon Closed Technical Test End?
You have a few days to play the Marathon Closed Technical Test as its final sessions wrap up on October 28—also at 10 AM PT.
In this case, it is a sprint rather than a Marathon. Those days will fly by, so we encourage you to get your games in if you’re successful in getting into the beta. Again, the more games you play, the more data Bungie has, and the better the final product when all is said and done.
How to Play Marathon Closed Technical Test
To play the Marathon Closed Technical Test, you need to either fill out a custom Bungie entry form or have previously applied for the public Alpha test from April 2025.
This is an invite-only test. It’s not an open beta where you can download Marathon from a storefront and start playing once it’s live. You need to register interest first, and then cross your fingers and toes that you get accepted.
Let’s show you how to apply for the Closed Technical Test:
- Go to Bungie’s Apply Now page for the Marathon Closed Technical Test.
- Click on the Closed Technical Test Application hyperlink.
- Choose your platform you want to play the Technical Test on.
- Sign in to your online account.
- Confirm your territory you’re based in and age.
- You will then be redirected to a Marathon sign-up form.
- Select your Target Platform.
- We recommend choosing Yes under the “playtest-related communications” section.
- Type your name to create a virtual signature.
- You now need to fill out several pages answering questions pertaining to your gaming habits.
- Once it’s all done, confirm your details.
The application form is…extensive, to say the least. But Bungie is obviously keen to understand its audience, see who’s playing Marathon, and it could help them to shape the game’s current content and make changes tailored to the community.
All Marathon Closed Technical Test Platforms
The Closed Technical Test is available to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam players.
It’s all the platforms Marathon is slated to eventually launch on. There’s no love for last-gen hardware such as the PS4 or Xbox One, and if you’re on Nintendo Switch (1 or 2), then it’s also a solid no-go, sadly.
What Does Marathon’s Closed Technical Test NDA Mean?
You are under a strict NDA if you get Marathon Closed Technical Test access, which means you can’t share your experience with anyone—this includes photos, videos, general reviews, or word of mouth on social media or anywhere else.
While we shouldn’t read too much into this, it’s always quite telling when an NDA is put in place for an anticipated game’s test. It’s usually a way to deflect any negative feedback or unwanted publicity that could impact the game.
Marathon hasn’t done a great job of escaping controversy and leaks after all. Despite an NDA, Marathon Closed Alpha footage was streamed early on Twitch, and then there was the Bungie plagiarizing an artist’s work for Marathon controversy, and let’s not forget the former Marathon developer who said working on the game was “Toxic”.
Bungie needs a big win with its latest test. But whatever happens, make sure you don’t share your thoughts or gameplay with the world!
Are you rushing to apply for the Marathon’s Closed Technical Test? Have you had a chance to dip your toes into any of the previous betas? Share your feedback (if Bungie lets you) through the Insider Gaming forum.
Be sure to read about Marathon still being scheduled to release by March 2026.
Andy is Insider Gaming's Senior Evergreen Editor and has been in the games journalism sphere in one way or another for over 7 years. His video game taste is as…
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