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Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated game, has made a reappearance with the announcement of a exclusive testing phase set to begin in October.

A Rocky Development Journey

Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has experienced a tumultuous development cycle. Last fall, Bungie announced plans were to begin alpha testing sometime in 2025. This was followed by quiet months, until the project was showcased again in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, following initial testing led to negative feedback, Bungie revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Despite the title has already encountered its portion of controversies, the development team appears committed to make certain their project doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Currently, it seems the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as Bungie just disclosed that it has conducted multiple private tests to gather feedback on the game" since June of this year. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, enabling additional participants to catch a glimpse of the game 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 participate in the exclusive trial — which takes place between October 22nd to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — participants must satisfy the listed pre-requisites:

• Submit an application via the official website
• Reside in supported regions
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or compatible computer (minimum PC specs include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, supported graphics card, and sufficient memory)
• Join their community platform
• Sign an NDA via the online community

How to Apply

Applications are open now, and to be eligible for the private trial, applicants must submit their application by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. PC users can also register via Steam starting on October 13th, with Steam applications due by October 26th. Bungie will contact selected participants and provide details of the following procedures.

"This represents a crucial milestone for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, proximity communication, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and more," the studio stated. "However, 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, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."

Additional Information

Additional details about the private trial and the actual experience can be located on Marathon's help page. But for players who don't qualify for the trial (or don't have time), there's still good news: The developer says a official announcement on the state of the game is the following item on the schedule once the test is over.

"There will be a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the near future after the private testing phase!" Bungie shared.