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Marathon, Bungie's much-anticipated game, has resurfaced with the news of a exclusive testing phase set to run later this month.

A Challenging Path to Launch

First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game has experienced a tumultuous creation process. In October 2024, the developer announced 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 planned September release. However, following initial testing resulted in negative feedback, Bungie announced in June that it was postponing the game's launch.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Despite the title has already seen its fair share of issues, the development team appears determined to ensure their project doesn't suffer Concord's fate. Currently, it appears 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 Marathon" since this past summer. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, enabling more players to catch a glimpse of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Considering it's a private technical test, it's understandably limited access than, say, an open beta. To gain access in the exclusive trial — which takes place between Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to October 28th — players must satisfy the following requirements:

• Apply via their platform
• Live in supported regions
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or Windows PC (system requirements include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
• Participate in their community platform
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the online community

Application Process

Registration is currently available, and to be considered for the technical test, players must complete registration by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. PC users can also submit their application via the digital platform starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with Steam applications due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will contact players who qualify and provide details of the next steps.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we test our improvements since Marathon's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, prox chat, adjusted gameplay rhythm, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and additional features," Bungie said. "However, the current version is a development build and will only include a portion of what's planned for Marathon'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 the game's support section. But for individuals who aren't selected for the test (or cannot participate), there's positive developments: The developer says a public update on the state of the game is the following item on the schedule once the trial concludes.

"We'll be sharing a public update on Marathon's development in the near future after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie announced.