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Marathon, the studio's much-anticipated project, has reared its head again with the news 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, Bungie stated plans were to begin alpha testing during the coming year. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was showcased again in April with a planned September release. However, after some playtests led to negative feedback, the studio revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Though Marathon has already seen its portion of issues, Bungie appears committed to make certain their project avoids the same outcome as other games. Currently, it seems the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as Bungie just disclosed that it has run "several closed playtests to collect player input on the game" since June of this year. The studio is expanding access, enabling additional participants to get an early look of the game via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Considering it's a closed technical test, it's understandably more exclusive than, for example, an open beta. To gain access in the exclusive trial — which runs from Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to October 28th — players must satisfy the following pre-requisites:

• Apply via the official website
• Live in Europe or North America
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (system requirements include an compatible CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
• Join their community platform
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

Application Process

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the technical test, applicants 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 notify players who qualify and provide details of the next steps.

"This represents a crucial milestone for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, several character options, proximity communication, 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 intended for Marathon's final version, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

More info about the private trial and the actual experience can be found on the game's help page. But for players who don't qualify for the test (or cannot participate), there's positive developments: Bungie says a public update on the state of the game is the next thing on the schedule once the test is over.

"There will be a comprehensive report on the game's progress in the coming months after the private testing phase!" Bungie announced.