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Marathon, Bungie's highly-anticipated project, has made a reappearance with the news of a closed technical test set to begin in October.

A Challenging Path to Launch

Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game has undergone a bumpy creation process. In October 2024, Bungie announced it was aiming to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. A period of silence followed, until the project was re-revealed 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

Though the title has already seen its portion of controversies, Bungie appears committed to ensure their project doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Now, it appears 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 developer is expanding access, allowing additional participants to catch a glimpse of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Considering it's a closed testing phase, it's understandably limited access than, for example, an open beta. To gain access in the technical test — which runs from October 22nd to October 28th — participants must satisfy the following pre-requisites:

• Submit an application via the official website
• Live in supported regions
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (system requirements include an compatible CPU, supported graphics card, and 8GB RAM)
• Join their community platform
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

Application Process

Registration is currently available, and to be considered for the technical test, players must complete registration by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. PC users can also register via Steam starting on October 13th, with Steam applications due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will notify selected participants and inform them of the following procedures.

"This represents a crucial milestone for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including three maps, five runner shells, proximity communication, adjusted gameplay rhythm, individual matchmaking, deeper environmental storytelling, and additional features," Bungie stated. "However, the Technical Test build is a development build and will only include a selection of what's intended for Marathon's final version, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

Additional details about the technical test and the game itself can be located on Marathon's help page. But for players who don't qualify for the trial (or cannot participate), there's positive developments: The developer says a public update on the project's status is the following item on the schedule once the trial concludes.

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