Bungie’s Marathon Sparks Fresh Hype With Teasers, Alpha Hints

Marathon, Bungie’s long-awaited sci-fi extraction shooter, just sprang back to life with a wave of new activity across social media—suggesting that a major announcement could be right around the corner.

Glitches, Teasers, and… Alpha?

On Thursday, the official Marathon X (Twitter) account posted a cryptic, glitchy teaser video and updated its header image. The timing wasn't random—PlayStation’s own account quickly followed suit with a matching Marathon-themed header. And it didn’t stop there: the game’s Steam page, Facebook, and YouTube channel all received fresh updates.

Even more interesting, a new MIDA profile (a nod to Bungie's iconic weapon from Destiny) appeared on X, and keen-eyed Reddit users noticed new Discord channels popping up—specifically for “alpha feedback,” “bug reporting,” and general alpha discussions.

This has sparked heavy speculation that either:

• A public alpha test is on the way, or

• Content creators and insiders already have early access.

Insider Says “April is the Month”

Fueling the hype further, industry insider Jeff Grubb previously reported (via Insider Gaming) that Marathon skipped February’s PlayStation State of Play because Sony was planning a dedicated showcase. At the time, he name-dropped April as the target.

“I think April is when we probably hear from them about Marathon. And it would be its own thing—separate from a State of Play,” Grubb said.

So far, neither PlayStation nor Bungie have confirmed any showcase, but the sudden activity across platforms strongly hints that something is imminent.

UPDATE APRIL 7, 2025: BUNGIE now officially announced the showcases on April 12 by dropping a 1-minute teaser trailer on social media:

What Is Marathon?

Originally announced in May 2023 during Sony’s PlayStation Showcase, Marathon is a reboot of Bungie’s 1990s cult classic. But this isn’t your dad’s Marathon—it’s been completely reimagined as a PvP-focused extraction shooter set on the mysterious planet Tau Ceti IV.

Players take on the role of "Runners"—cybernetically enhanced mercenaries—tasked with diving into neon-soaked environments, collecting loot, and extracting before they’re eliminated by other players (or the planet itself). Think Escape from Tarkov meets Tron, with some hints of PvE sprinkled in.

The game’s retro-futuristic aesthetic blends cyberpunk visuals with modern polish, and players will be able to customize their gear and augments, likely tying into a deeper meta-progression system.

Where’s Development At?

Back in October 2024, Game Director Joe Ziegler (formerly of Valorant) offered a candid update: environments were shaping up nicely, but character and enemy models still needed serious work. He also confirmed expanded playtests were coming in 2025, signaling that the game was still in mid-development.

All this came amid a rocky stretch for Bungie, which included layoffs in 2023 and 2024 and a leadership shakeup that saw Ziegler replace former director Chris Barrett following misconduct allegations.

Despite the hurdles, the studio has stayed committed to Marathon, with the recent teaser showing off a slick Runner design that seems lifted straight from a cyberpunk fever dream.

When it launches, Marathon will feature cross-platform play across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC—with cross-progression to boot. That’ll mark a first for Bungie outside of Destiny, and it's a big part of their push to position Marathon as a long-term live service hit.

As of now, most industry watchers expect a 2026 release, though optimistic fans are still holding out hope for late 2025 if alpha testing proves fruitful.