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Marathon, Bungie's highly-anticipated game, has resurfaced with the announcement of a exclusive testing phase scheduled to take place soon.

A Challenging Path to Launch

Initially revealed during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has undergone a bumpy creation process. In October 2024, the developer stated it was aiming to start Alpha tests 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 resulted in negative feedback, the studio revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Despite Marathon has already seen its fair share of controversies, the development team appears committed to make certain Marathon avoids Concord's fate. Now, it appears the game's development 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 this past summer. The developer is expanding access, allowing additional participants to catch a glimpse of the experience via an forthcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Considering 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 October 22nd to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — players must satisfy the listed pre-requisites:

• Submit an application via their platform
• Live in supported regions
• Own a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (minimum PC specs include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
• Participate in the official Discord server
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

Application Process

Applications are open now, and to be eligible for the private trial, applicants must complete registration by the October 16th deadline. Players on Windows PC can also submit their application via Steam starting on October 13th, with digital platform registrations due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will notify selected participants and inform them of the next steps.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and additional features," the studio stated. "That said, the current version is a work in progress and will only include a portion of what's planned for the game's full release, focused on the early player experience."

Additional Information

Additional details about the technical test and the game itself can be located on Marathon's help page. But for players who aren't selected for the trial (or don't have time), there's still good news: The developer says a public update on the project's status is the next thing on the schedule once the test is over.

"There will be a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" The studio shared.