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Marathon, the studio's much-anticipated game, has made a reappearance with the news of a exclusive testing phase scheduled to run later this month.

A Challenging Path to Launch

Initially revealed during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has experienced a bumpy development cycle. In October 2024, Bungie stated plans were to start Alpha tests during the coming year. This was followed by quiet months, until the project 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.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Despite the title has already encountered its fair share of issues, the development team appears committed to make certain Marathon doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Now, it appears the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as they just disclosed that it has conducted multiple private tests to gather feedback on the game" since this past summer. The studio is opening the doors a bit wider, enabling additional participants to get an early look of the experience via an forthcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Considering it's a private testing phase, it's naturally more exclusive than, say, an public test. To gain access in the exclusive trial — which runs from Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to October 28th — players must satisfy the listed pre-requisites:

• Submit an application via their platform
• Live in Europe or North America
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (system requirements include an compatible CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and sufficient memory)
• Participate in their community platform
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the online community

Application Process

Applications are open now, and to be eligible for the private trial, applicants 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 digital platform registrations due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. The developer will contact selected participants 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 multiple locations, several character options, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, individual matchmaking, enhanced narrative elements, and more," the studio stated. "However, the Technical Test build is a development build and will only include a portion of what's planned for the game's final version, focused on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

Additional details about the private trial and the game itself can be found on Marathon's help page. But for players who don't qualify for the test (or don't have time), there's still good news: Bungie says a public update on the project's status is the next thing 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!" The studio announced.