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Marathon, Bungie's much-anticipated project, has reared its head again with the news of a closed technical test scheduled to begin in October.

A Challenging Path to Launch

First announced during the 2023 gaming showcase, the game has experienced a bumpy development cycle. In October 2024, Bungie stated plans were to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. A period of silence followed, until the project was showcased again in April with a planned September release. However, after some playtests led to negative feedback, Bungie revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Though Marathon has already encountered its portion of issues, the development team appears committed to make certain Marathon 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 gather feedback on Marathon" since this past summer. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, enabling more players to get an early look of the experience via an forthcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Given the fact that it's a private testing phase, it's understandably more exclusive than, say, an public test. To gain access in the technical test — which runs from October 22nd to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — participants must satisfy the listed pre-requisites:

• Submit an application via their platform
• Reside in supported regions
• 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 sufficient memory)
• Join their community platform
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

Application Process

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the private trial, 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 digital platform registrations due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. The developer will contact players who qualify and inform them of the next steps.

"This represents a crucial milestone 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 more," the studio stated. "However, the Technical Test build is a development build 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 actual experience can be located on the game's help page. But for players who don't qualify for the trial (or cannot participate), there's positive developments: The developer says a official announcement on the project's status is the next thing on the agenda once the test is over.

"There will be a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the near future after the private testing phase!" The studio announced.