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Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated game, has resurfaced with the news of a closed technical test scheduled to begin in October.

A Challenging Path to Launch

Initially revealed during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has experienced a tumultuous development cycle. Last fall, Bungie announced plans were to start Alpha tests during the coming year. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was showcased again in spring with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, after some playtests resulted in mixed reactions, the studio revealed during summer that it was postponing the game's launch.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Though the title has already seen its fair share of controversies, Bungie appears determined to ensure their project doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Now, it seems 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 Marathon" since June of this year. The studio is expanding access, allowing 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 technical test, it's naturally more exclusive than, say, an public test. To participate in the technical test — which runs from October 22nd to October 28th — players must meet the listed requirements:

• Apply via the official website
• Live in Europe or North America
• Own a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or Windows PC (system requirements include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
• Join the official Discord server
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

How to Apply

Applications are open now, and to be eligible for the private trial, players must submit their application by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. Players on Windows PC can also submit their application 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 provide details of the following procedures.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we test our improvements since Marathon's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, prox chat, adjusted gameplay rhythm, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and more," Bungie stated. "That said, the current version is a development build and will only include a portion of what's intended for Marathon's full release, concentrating on the early player experience."

Additional Information

More info about the technical test and the actual experience can be located on Marathon's support section. But for individuals who don't qualify for the test (or cannot participate), there's positive developments: The developer says a official announcement on the state of the game is the following item on the agenda once the test is over.

"There will be a comprehensive report on the game's progress in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie shared.