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Marathon, the studio's much-anticipated game, has made a reappearance with the news of a closed technical test set to begin in October.

A Challenging Path to Launch

First announced during the 2023 gaming showcase, the game has experienced a bumpy development cycle. Last fall, the developer announced plans were to begin alpha testing during the coming year. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was showcased again in spring with a planned September release. However, after some playtests led to negative feedback, the studio revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Despite Marathon has already encountered its portion of controversies, the development team appears committed to make certain Marathon avoids Concord's fate. Currently, it appears the project's progress is moving forward again, as Bungie just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to gather feedback on the game" since June of this year. The studio is opening the doors a bit wider, enabling more players to catch a glimpse of the game via an forthcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Considering it's a closed technical test, it's naturally limited access than, say, an open beta. To gain access in the technical test — which runs from Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to October 28th — participants must meet the following pre-requisites:

• Apply via their platform
• Live in Europe or North America
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or compatible computer (minimum PC specs include an compatible CPU, supported graphics card, and sufficient memory)
• Join the official Discord server
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the Discord server

How to Apply

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the private trial, applicants must submit their application by the October 16th deadline. PC users can also submit their application via the digital platform starting on October 13th, with Steam applications due by October 26th. Bungie will contact players who qualify and provide details of the next steps.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including three maps, several character options, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and more," the studio stated. "However, the Technical Test build is a work in progress and will only include a selection of what's planned for Marathon's full release, concentrating on the early player experience."

Additional Information

Additional details about the private trial and the game itself can be found on the game's help page. But for players who don't qualify for the test (or cannot participate), there's still good news: Bungie says a public update on the project's status 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 private testing phase!" Bungie announced.