Bungie’s highly anticipated new first-person shooter, Marathon, is still a few months away from its September 23rd release date. However, some gamers will soon be getting a chance to experience the game early during its Closed Alpha test, which starts next week on April 23rd. During this testing period, players will get to test out “an incomplete version of the game” to help Bungie gather feedback on technical issues and the gameplay experience. Alpha testing opportunities often come with an NDA, but Bungie has decided to remove theirs for the upcoming Marathon Closed Alpha Test.
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An NDA, or nondisclosure agreement, prevents players from sharing their early playtest experience with games like Marathon. It’s pretty standard practice to help prevent leaks and ensure that game details aren’t revealed until they’re ready. Though Bungie initially planned an NDA for its Marathon Closed Alpha, the developer recently released a statement via X and Steam sharing the decision to nix the NDA.
This decision is made “in the spirit of building towards” a future where Marathon releases as its best possible version, thanks to “community feedback and dialog.” Starting with the Closed Alpha on April 23rd, gamers will be permitted to share their thoughts, feedback, and even actual gameplay footage. Notably, this includes permission to stream Marathon on platforms like Twitch. Given that streaming is a big part of building up hype for new games, this might hint at another reason for removing the NDA – letting gamers share their excitement to get more players interested in the game ahead of its September release.
What’s In The Marathon Closed Alpha & How to Sign Up
If you’re eager to get a first look at Bungie’s new team-based extraction shooter, you can sign up for the Closed Alpha via the game’s official Discord. This current Closed Alpha is available only in North America, but Bungie shared it will have additional opportunities in other regions before the game releases on September 23rd.
Along with the decision to release the NDA, Bungie’s update includes more specific details about what Marathon features will be in the Closed Alpha version of the game. The team is looking for feedback on core features, including weapons and gunplay, maps and survival gameplay, early-game progression, and PvP and PvE combat.
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In terms of features that won’t be present in the Closed Alpha version of Marathon, Bungie provided the following list of what not to expect this time around:
- Final visuals and graphics, including animations and lighting
- Full and polished UI
- All Runners
- All zones, including the Marathon Ship
- Pinnacle and endgame content
- All weapons, items, consumables, implants, cores, and mods
- All factions and upgrades
- Long term progression and systems
- Complete narrative and storytelling systems and final shipping content
- Ranked play
- Final balance
With the NDA no longer applicable, it’s likely that gamers will start to learn what Marathon will be like on April 23rd. As Closed Alpha testers share their thoughts and streams, we’ll get a sense of the gameplay flow and early features. That said, what’s revealed will be Alpha content, which means it’s still subject to change before the full release of Marathon later this year.
Are you hoping to partake in the Marathon Closed Alpha? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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