summary
- The low-key minimum specifications of the Marathon Alpha make it easy to run older mid-range PCs.
- Bungee’s marathon aims to be a greater audience with PVP focus and cross-platform play.
- The marathon must distinguish yourself from Destiny to succeed, the first step with accessible performance.
Bungie just removed the minimum PC spec for Marathon’s upcoming closed alpha tests, and no bleeding edge rig is required to jump into the studio’s new PVP extraction shooter.
Recent posts about X provide heads up before Closed Alpha begins on April 23rd. The test arrives a few months before the full September 23rd release, officially released on PS5, Xbox Series X/s and PC.
Marathon Closed Alpha Minimum Specification
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Here’s what you need to do to run alpha:
- CPU: Intel Core I5-6600 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600
- Ram: 8 GB
- GPU: Nvidia Geforce GTX 1050 of (4 GB), AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (4 GB), or Intel Arc A580 (8 GB)
- VRAM: 4GB
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit (latest service pack)
- DirectX: Version 12 of functional level 12_1
It’s a rather modest baseline, especially for modern live service shooters. Most midrange gaming PCs over the past five years should be able to handle it without much tweaking. This is a wise move if Bungie wants to attract a wider player base during testing.
That said, the studio warns that some Intel Arc GPUs may not be fully supported, which means ARC users may want to step on carefully.
Marathons are different from their fate, aiming for a wider reach
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Marathon marks Bungie’s first original IP since Destiny, leaning hard towards the PVP extraction genre, leaving it apart from the original trilogy, especially Destiny’s PVE heavy formula.
In another smart move, Bungie confirmed that PC and Xbox players do not need a PlayStation account to jump. In this way, Marathon is actively avoiding landmines like Heldivers 2 PSN.
This upcoming Alpha is the first major step in Bungee to prove that the marathon is not just a new paint coat but a destiny, and, worse, an experiment with another failed live service like Concord. If you offer smooth performance even on low-end rigs, it could be the first real victory in Bungee’s difficult battle to redefine itself.
And with this accessible spec, the marathon allows almost everyone to at least pass through the door.
