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Marathon, Bungie's highly-anticipated project, has resurfaced with the announcement of a exclusive testing phase set to run later this month.

A Rocky Development Journey

First announced during the 2023 gaming showcase, the game has undergone a bumpy development cycle. Last fall, Bungie stated it was aiming to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was re-revealed in spring with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, after some playtests resulted in negative feedback, the studio revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Though the title has already seen its portion of controversies, the development team appears committed to ensure Marathon avoids Concord's fate. Currently, it seems the game's development is finally getting back on track, as they just revealed that it has run "several closed playtests to collect player input on the game" since this past summer. The studio is opening the doors a bit wider, enabling more players to catch a glimpse of the experience via an forthcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

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

• Submit an application via the official website
• Live in supported regions
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or compatible computer (system requirements include an compatible CPU, supported graphics card, and sufficient memory)
• Join their community platform
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

How to Apply

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the technical test, players must complete registration by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. Players on Windows PC can also submit their application via Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with digital platform registrations due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. The developer will notify selected participants and provide details of the following procedures.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we test our improvements since the game's Alpha, including three maps, five runner shells, prox chat, adjusted gameplay rhythm, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and more," the studio said. "That said, the current version is a work in progress and will only include a portion of what's planned for the game's final version, focused on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

More info about the private trial and the actual experience can be found on Marathon's support section. But for players who don't qualify for the trial (or cannot participate), there's positive developments: The developer says a official announcement on the state of the game is the next thing on the agenda once the trial concludes.

"We'll be sharing a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the coming months after the private testing phase!" Bungie announced.