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The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, Bungie's highly-anticipated game, has made a reappearance with the news of a exclusive testing phase set to take place soon.

A Challenging Path to Launch

Initially revealed during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has undergone a tumultuous development cycle. Last fall, the developer announced plans were to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was showcased again in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, after some playtests led to mixed reactions, the studio announced in June that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Despite the title has already seen its portion of controversies, the development team appears committed to make certain their project avoids Concord's fate. Now, it appears the game's development is moving forward again, as Bungie just revealed that it has run "several closed playtests to gather feedback on the game" since June of this year. The developer is expanding access, enabling more players to catch a glimpse of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Given the fact that it's a closed testing phase, it's naturally more exclusive than, for example, an open beta. To gain access in the technical test — which takes place between October 22nd to October 28th — players must satisfy the listed pre-requisites:

• Apply via their platform
• Reside in supported regions
• Have access to a PS5, Xbox Series X or S, or compatible computer (minimum PC specs include an compatible CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
• Join their community platform
• Sign an NDA via the Discord server

How to Apply

Registration is currently available, and to be considered 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 October 13th, with Steam applications due by October 26th. The developer will notify players who qualify and inform them of the next steps.

"This represents a crucial milestone for us as we test our improvements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, proximity communication, adjusted gameplay rhythm, individual matchmaking, deeper environmental storytelling, and more," the studio stated. "However, the current version is a development build and will only include a portion of what's intended for the game's full release, focused on the early player experience."

Further Details

More info about the technical test and the actual experience can be located on Marathon's help page. But for players who aren't selected for the trial (or cannot participate), there's still good news: Bungie says a official announcement on the project's status is the following item on the agenda once the trial concludes.

"We'll be sharing a comprehensive report on the game's progress in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie announced.