Bungie's Troubled Shooter Marathon Is Gaining Momentum

Marathon, Bungie's highly-anticipated project, has resurfaced with the news of a closed technical test scheduled to run later this month.

A Rocky Development Journey

First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game has undergone a bumpy development cycle. Last fall, Bungie stated plans were to start Alpha tests during the coming year. A period of silence followed, until the game was showcased again in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, following initial testing resulted in mixed reactions, Bungie revealed during summer that it was postponing the game's launch.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Despite the title has already encountered its fair share of controversies, the development team appears committed to ensure their project avoids the same outcome as other games. Now, it appears the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as Bungie just revealed that it has run "several closed playtests to collect player input on Marathon" since June of this year. The developer is expanding access, enabling more players to get an early look of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Given the fact that it's a private technical test, it's naturally limited access than, say, an open beta. To gain access in the technical test — which takes place between October 22nd to October 28th — players must meet the following pre-requisites:

• Submit an application via their platform
• Live in supported regions
• Have access to a PS5, Xbox console, or Windows PC (system requirements include an compatible CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
• Join the official Discord server
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the online community

How to Apply

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the technical test, players must complete registration by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. PC users can also register via Steam starting on October 13th, with Steam applications due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will notify players who qualify and inform them of the following procedures.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and additional features," Bungie stated. "However, the current version is a development build and will only include a portion of what's intended for the game's final version, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

Additional details about the private trial and the actual experience can be located on the game's support section. But for players who don't qualify for the test (or cannot participate), there's positive developments: Bungie says a public update on the project's status is the following item on the schedule once the trial concludes.

"There will be a comprehensive report on the game's progress in the near future after the private testing phase!" The studio announced.