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

A Rocky Development Journey

Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has undergone a tumultuous creation process. In October 2024, the developer announced plans were to start Alpha tests during the coming year. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was showcased again in April with a planned September release. However, following initial testing resulted in negative feedback, the studio announced in June that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Despite Marathon has already seen its portion of issues, Bungie appears determined to make certain their project avoids Concord's fate. Currently, it appears the project's progress is moving forward again, as Bungie just disclosed that it has run "several closed playtests to gather feedback on Marathon" since June of this year. The studio is expanding access, enabling more players to catch a glimpse of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Given the fact that it's a private technical test, it's understandably limited access than, say, an open beta. To participate in the exclusive trial — which takes place between Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to October 28th — participants must satisfy the following requirements:

• Submit an application via the official website
• Reside in Europe or North America
• Own a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (minimum PC specs include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
• Participate in their community platform
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

How to Apply

Applications are open now, and to be considered for the technical test, players must complete registration by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. PC users can also submit their application via Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with Steam applications due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. The developer will notify selected participants and inform them of the next steps.

"This represents a crucial milestone for us as we test our improvements since Marathon's Alpha, including three maps, several character options, proximity communication, adjusted gameplay rhythm, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and additional features," the studio stated. "However, the current version is a development build and will only include a selection of what's planned 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 the game's support section. But for individuals who don't qualify for the test (or don't have time), there's still good news: The developer says a official announcement on the project's status is the next thing on the agenda once the trial concludes.

"We'll be sharing a public update on the game's progress in the coming months after the private testing phase!" The studio announced.