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Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated game, has reared its head again with the news of a closed technical test set to run later this month.

A Rocky Development Journey

First announced during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has undergone a bumpy development cycle. In October 2024, the developer stated it was aiming to start Alpha tests during the coming year. A period of silence followed, until the game was re-revealed in April with a planned September release. However, after some playtests led to mixed reactions, Bungie revealed during summer that it was postponing the game's launch.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Despite Marathon has already encountered its portion of issues, Bungie appears determined to make certain their project avoids the same outcome as other games. Currently, it appears the game's development is finally getting back on track, as Bungie just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to collect player input on Marathon" since June of this year. The studio is opening the doors a bit wider, allowing additional participants to get an early look of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Given the fact that it's a closed testing phase, it's understandably limited access than, for example, an public test. To gain access in the technical test — which takes place between October 22nd to October 28th — players must meet the listed pre-requisites:

• Apply via the official website
• Reside in Europe or North America
• Own a PS5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (system requirements include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and sufficient memory)
• Join their community platform
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the online community

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. Players on Windows PC can also register via the digital platform starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with digital platform registrations due by October 26th. The developer will contact players who qualify and provide details of the following procedures.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we test our improvements since the game's Alpha, including three maps, five runner shells, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and more," Bungie said. "However, the Technical Test build is a development build and will only include a portion of what's planned for the game's final version, focused on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

More info about the technical test and the game itself can be found on Marathon's help page. But for individuals who aren't selected for the test (or cannot participate), there's positive developments: The developer says a public update on the project's status is the following item on the agenda once the trial concludes.

"There will be a public update on Marathon's development in the near future after the private testing phase!" The studio shared.