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Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated project, has made a reappearance with the news of a exclusive testing phase scheduled to begin in October.

A Rocky Development Journey

First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game has experienced a tumultuous development cycle. Last fall, the developer announced it was aiming to begin alpha testing during the coming year. This was followed by quiet months, until the project 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.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Though the title has already seen its portion of controversies, Bungie appears determined to make certain their project doesn't suffer Concord's fate. Now, it seems the game's development is moving forward again, as Bungie just revealed that it has run "several closed playtests to gather feedback on the game" since this past summer. The developer is expanding access, allowing more players to catch a glimpse of the game via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Considering it's a private technical test, it's naturally limited access than, say, an public test. To participate in the technical test — which runs from Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to October 28th — players must meet the listed requirements:

• Apply via their platform
• Live in Europe or North America
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or compatible computer (system requirements 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 considered for the technical test, applicants must complete registration by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. Players on Windows PC can also submit their application via the digital platform starting on October 13th, with Steam applications due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will contact players who qualify and provide details of the following procedures.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since Marathon's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, proximity communication, adjusted gameplay rhythm, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and more," Bungie stated. "However, the Technical Test build is a development build and will only include a selection of what's intended for the game's full release, focused on the initial gameplay moments."

Additional Information

Additional details about the private trial and the actual experience can be located on the game's help page. But for individuals who aren't selected for the trial (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 agenda once the test is over.

"We'll be sharing a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the near future after the private testing phase!" Bungie shared.