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The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, Bungie's much-anticipated game, has resurfaced with the announcement of a exclusive testing phase set to run later this month.

A Rocky Development Journey

Initially revealed during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has undergone a bumpy creation process. In October 2024, Bungie announced plans were to start Alpha tests during the coming year. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was re-revealed in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, following initial testing resulted in mixed reactions, Bungie revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Though Marathon has already encountered its portion of controversies, the development team appears determined to make certain Marathon avoids Concord's fate. Currently, it seems the game's development is moving forward again, as Bungie just revealed that it has run "several closed playtests to gather feedback on Marathon" since June of this year. The developer 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

Given the fact that it's a closed testing phase, it's understandably limited access than, say, an public test. To gain access in the exclusive trial — which runs from Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — participants must meet the following requirements:

• Submit an application via the official website
• Live in supported regions
• Own a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (minimum PC specs include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
• Participate in the official Discord server
• 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 the October 16th deadline. PC users can also submit their application via Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with digital platform registrations due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. 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 three maps, five runner shells, proximity communication, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and more," Bungie stated. "That said, the current version is a development build and will only include a selection of what's intended for Marathon's final version, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

Additional details about the private trial and the game itself can be located on Marathon's help page. But for players who aren't selected for the test (or cannot participate), there's still good news: Bungie says a public update on the state of the game is the next thing on the schedule once the trial concludes.

"We'll be sharing a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the near future after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie shared.