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Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated project, 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 PlayStation Showcase, the game has undergone a tumultuous creation process. In October 2024, Bungie announced it was aiming 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, after some playtests resulted in mixed reactions, the studio announced in June that it was postponing the game's launch.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Despite the title has already encountered its fair share of controversies, the development team appears determined to ensure their project doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Currently, it appears the game's development is finally getting back on track, as they just disclosed that it has run "several closed playtests to gather feedback on Marathon" since this past summer. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, allowing additional participants to get an early look of the game via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Considering it's a closed technical test, it's understandably more exclusive than, for example, an public test. To gain access in the exclusive trial — which runs from Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — participants must meet the listed pre-requisites:

• Apply via their platform
• Reside in Europe or North America
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (system requirements include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, supported graphics card, and sufficient memory)
• 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 the October 16th deadline. Players on Windows PC can also register via the digital platform starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with digital platform registrations due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will notify players who qualify and provide details of the following procedures.

"This represents a crucial milestone for us as we test our improvements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, prox chat, adjusted gameplay rhythm, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and additional features," Bungie said. "That said, the Technical Test build is a work in progress and will only include a portion of what's planned for the game's full release, focused on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

More info about the private trial and the game itself can be located on Marathon's support section. But for players who aren't selected for the trial (or don't have time), there's still good news: Bungie says a official announcement on the state of the game is the next thing on the agenda once the trial concludes.

"There will be a public update on the game's progress in the coming months after the private testing phase!" Bungie announced.