Bungie's highly anticipated live-service extraction shooter Marathon is generating significant buzz as rumors suggest an Open Beta could arrive in August, just weeks before its official September launch. Following the recent gameplay reveal, excitement continues to build around this cyberpunk-inspired title, which aims to redefine the extraction shooter genre with a more accessible approach.

Originally announced in May 2023, Marathon remained shrouded in mystery until Bungie unveiled its September 23 release date through an action-packed trailer. Unlike competitors such as Escape from Tarkov, Marathon promises a streamlined experience, eliminating proximity chat to foster a less toxic community. Fans are eager to test its unique mechanics, though widespread access may still be months away.

According to industry insider Paul Tassi, the Marathon Open Beta is expected in August, coinciding with pre-order availability. Meanwhile, the Closed Alpha—running from April 23 to May 4—will allow select players to stream and share feedback, thanks to Bungie's decision to lift the NDA. This move has been praised as a step toward greater transparency ahead of launch.

Bungie recently disclosed the minimum PC requirements for the Closed Alpha, including an Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti, AMD RX 5500 XT, or Intel Arc A580 GPU. While these specs suggest broad accessibility, concerns linger that they may be adjusted before the full release. The game's download size remains undisclosed.

Although Marathon will launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 owners will be left out—at least for now. Game director Joe Ziegler hasn't ruled out a future port, but for now, fans of Nintendo's upcoming console will have to wait.