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Marathon, the studio's much-anticipated game, has resurfaced with the announcement of a exclusive testing phase set to take place soon.

A Rocky Development Journey

Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game has experienced a bumpy development cycle. Last fall, Bungie announced plans were to begin alpha testing sometime in 2025. A period of silence followed, until the game was re-revealed in spring with a planned September release. However, following initial testing resulted in negative feedback, the studio revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Though the title has already encountered its portion of issues, the development team appears committed to ensure their project doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Currently, it seems the game's development is moving forward again, as they just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to gather feedback on the game" since this past summer. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, enabling more players to get an early look of the game via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Considering it's a private technical test, it's understandably limited access than, say, an public test. To participate in the technical test — which takes place between October 22nd to October 28th — participants must satisfy the following pre-requisites:

• Apply via the official website
• Reside in Europe or North America
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or compatible computer (minimum PC specs include an compatible CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
• Participate in their community platform
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the Discord server

Application Process

Applications are open now, and to be considered for the technical test, players must complete registration by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. PC users can also submit their application via Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with digital platform registrations due by October 26th. The developer will contact players who qualify and inform them of the following procedures.

"This represents a crucial milestone for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, individual matchmaking, enhanced narrative elements, and more," the studio stated. "However, the current version is a work in progress and will only include a selection of what's planned for the game's full release, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."

Additional Information

Additional details about the technical test and the game itself can be located on Marathon's help page. But for individuals who don't qualify for the trial (or don't have time), there's still good news: Bungie says a official announcement on the project's status is the following item on the agenda once the test is over.

"We'll be sharing a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the near future after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie shared.