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The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, Bungie's much-anticipated project, has made a reappearance with the news of a exclusive testing phase scheduled to run later this month.

A Rocky Development Journey

First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has undergone a tumultuous creation process. Last fall, the developer stated it was aiming to begin alpha testing during the coming year. A period of silence followed, until the game was re-revealed in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, after some playtests resulted in negative feedback, Bungie revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Though the title has already encountered its portion of controversies, the development team appears determined to make certain Marathon avoids the same outcome as other games. Currently, it appears the project's progress is moving forward again, as Bungie just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to collect player input on the game" since this past summer. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, allowing additional participants to get an early look of the game via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Considering it's a private testing phase, it's naturally more exclusive than, say, an open beta. To participate in the technical test — which runs from October 22nd to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — players must meet the listed requirements:

• Apply via the official website
• Live 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 8GB RAM)
• Participate in the official Discord server
• 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 Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with Steam applications due by October 26th. Bungie will contact players who qualify and inform them of the next steps.

"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, deeper environmental storytelling, and additional features," the studio said. "However, the Technical Test build is a development build and will only include a portion of what's planned for Marathon's final version, concentrating on the early player experience."

Further Details

More info about the technical test and the game itself can be found on Marathon's support section. But for players who aren't selected for the test (or cannot participate), there's positive developments: Bungie says a official announcement on the state of the game is the next thing on the agenda once the test is over.

"We'll be sharing a public update on Marathon's development in the coming months after the private testing phase!" The studio announced.