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Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated project, has made a reappearance with the announcement of a closed technical test set to take place soon.

A Rocky Development Journey

Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has undergone a tumultuous creation process. In October 2024, Bungie stated it was aiming to begin alpha testing during the coming year. A period of silence followed, until the game was re-revealed in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, following initial testing led to negative feedback, the studio revealed during summer that it was postponing the game's launch.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Though the title has already seen its portion of controversies, Bungie appears committed to make certain their project doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Currently, it appears the game's development is finally getting back on track, as they just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to collect player input on the game" since June of this year. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, allowing more players to catch a glimpse of the game via an forthcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Given the fact that it's a private testing phase, it's naturally more exclusive than, say, an public test. To participate in the exclusive trial — which runs from Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — players must satisfy the following pre-requisites:

• Apply via their platform
• Live in supported regions
• Own a PS5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (system requirements include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and sufficient memory)
• Join the official Discord server
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

Application Process

Applications are open now, and to be considered for the private trial, applicants must submit their application by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. PC users can also submit their application via the digital platform starting on October 13th, with Steam applications due by October 26th. The developer will notify selected participants and inform them of the next steps.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since Marathon's Alpha, including three maps, five runner shells, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and additional features," the studio stated. "That said, the Technical Test build is a work in progress and will only include a selection of what's intended for the game's final version, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."

Additional Information

More info about the technical test and the game itself can be found on the game's help page. But for individuals who aren't selected for the test (or don't have time), there's still good news: Bungie says a public update on the state of the game is the following item on the agenda once the trial concludes.

"There will be a public update on the game's progress in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie shared.