🔗 Share this article

Marathon, Bungie's highly-anticipated game, has reared its head again with the announcement of a closed technical test set to begin in October.

A Rocky Development Journey

Initially revealed during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has experienced a tumultuous creation process. Last fall, the developer stated it was aiming to start Alpha tests during the coming year. A period of silence followed, until the game was showcased again in spring with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, following initial testing resulted in negative feedback, Bungie revealed during summer that it was postponing the game's launch.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Despite the title has already seen its portion of issues, Bungie appears determined to make certain their project doesn't suffer Concord's fate. Now, it appears the game's development is moving forward again, as they just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to collect player input on the game" since June of this year. The studio is expanding access, enabling more players to get an early look of the game via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Given the fact that it's a closed technical test, it's understandably limited access than, say, an public test. To participate in the technical test — which takes place between October 22nd to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — participants must satisfy the listed requirements:

• Submit an application via their platform
• Live in supported regions
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or Windows PC (system requirements include an compatible CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and sufficient memory)
• Participate in their community platform
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

Application Process

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the private trial, applicants must submit their application by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. PC users can also register via Steam 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 is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since Marathon's Alpha, including multiple locations, several character options, proximity communication, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and additional features," Bungie said. "However, the current version is a development build and will only include a portion of what's intended for Marathon's final version, concentrating on the early player experience."

Additional Information

Additional details about the technical test and the actual experience can be found on Marathon's support section. But for players who aren't selected for the test (or cannot participate), there's still good news: The developer says a official announcement on the state of the game is the next thing on the schedule once the trial concludes.

"We'll be sharing a comprehensive report on the game's progress in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie announced.