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Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated project, has resurfaced with the announcement of a exclusive testing phase scheduled to run later this month.

A Rocky Development Journey

First announced during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has experienced a tumultuous development cycle. Last fall, the developer announced it was aiming to begin alpha testing sometime in 2025. A period of silence followed, until the game was re-revealed in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, after some playtests resulted in negative feedback, the studio announced in June that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Despite the title has already seen its fair share of issues, Bungie appears committed to make certain their project avoids the same outcome as other games. Currently, it seems the game's development is moving forward again, as they just disclosed that it has run "several closed playtests to gather feedback on the game" since June of this year. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, enabling additional participants to get an early look of the experience via an forthcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Considering it's a private testing phase, it's naturally limited access than, for example, an public test. To participate in the exclusive trial — which runs from October 22nd to October 28th — participants must meet the following requirements:

• Submit an application via their platform
• Live in Europe or North America
• Own a PS5, Xbox console, or compatible computer (minimum PC specs include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, supported graphics card, and 8GB RAM)
• Participate in their community platform
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

How to Apply

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the technical test, players must complete registration 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 Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will contact players who qualify and provide details of the following procedures.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including three maps, several character options, proximity communication, adjusted gameplay rhythm, individual matchmaking, deeper environmental storytelling, and additional features," Bungie said. "However, the current version is a work in progress and will only include a portion of what's intended for the game's full release, focused on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

More info about the private trial and the actual experience can be located on Marathon's support section. But for individuals who aren't selected for the test (or cannot participate), there's still good news: The developer says a public update on the state of the game is the following item on the schedule once the test is over.

"We'll be sharing a comprehensive report on the game's progress in the near future after the Closed Technical Test!" The studio announced.