The Developer's Troubled Shooter Marathon Is Making a Comeback

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

A Rocky Development Journey

First announced during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has undergone a tumultuous development cycle. Last fall, the developer stated plans were to start Alpha tests during the coming year. A period of silence followed, until the game was re-revealed in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, following initial testing led to mixed reactions, the studio revealed during summer that it was postponing the game's launch.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Despite the title has already encountered its fair share of issues, Bungie appears committed to ensure Marathon avoids the same outcome as other games. Now, it seems the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as they just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to gather feedback on Marathon" since this past summer. The studio is opening the doors a bit wider, allowing additional participants to catch a glimpse of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Considering it's a private technical test, it's understandably more exclusive than, say, an public test. To gain access in the exclusive trial — which takes place between October 22nd to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — participants must satisfy the following pre-requisites:

• Submit an application via the official website
• Reside in supported regions
• 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 sufficient memory)
• Participate in the official Discord server
• Sign an NDA via the online community

How to Apply

Registration is currently available, and to be considered for the technical test, applicants must submit their application by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. Players on Windows PC can also register via the digital platform starting on October 13th, with digital platform registrations due by October 26th. The developer will notify selected participants and provide details of the next steps.

"This represents a crucial milestone for us as we test our improvements since Marathon's Alpha, including multiple locations, several character options, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, individual matchmaking, enhanced narrative elements, and more," the studio stated. "That said, the Technical Test build is a work in progress and will only include a portion of what's planned for Marathon's full release, focused on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

Additional details about the private trial and the game itself can be found on Marathon's support section. But for players who aren't selected for the test (or don't have time), 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.

"There will be a public update on the game's progress in the near future after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie shared.