Bungie's Troubled Action Game Project Marathon Is Gaining Momentum

Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated game, has resurfaced with the announcement of a closed technical test scheduled to run later this month.

A Challenging Path to Launch

First announced during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has experienced a tumultuous development cycle. Last fall, Bungie announced it was aiming to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. This was followed by quiet months, until the project was showcased again in April with a planned September release. However, after some playtests resulted in mixed reactions, the studio revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Despite the title has already encountered its portion of controversies, Bungie appears committed to ensure their project avoids Concord's fate. 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 Marathon" since this past summer. The developer is expanding access, allowing more players to catch a glimpse of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Considering it's a closed technical test, it's naturally limited access than, for example, 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 meet the listed requirements:

• Apply via their platform
• Reside in Europe or North America
• Own a PS5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (system requirements include an compatible CPU, supported graphics card, and 8GB RAM)
• Join the official Discord server
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the Discord server

Application Process

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the technical test, players must submit their application 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 digital platform registrations due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will notify selected participants and inform them of the next steps.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we test our improvements since Marathon's Alpha, including three maps, five runner shells, prox chat, adjusted gameplay rhythm, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and additional features," the studio stated. "However, the current version is a work in progress and will only include a selection of what's intended for Marathon's full release, concentrating on the early player experience."

Additional Information

Additional details about the technical test and the actual experience can be located on Marathon's support section. But for players who aren't selected for the test (or don't have time), there's positive developments: The developer 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 public update on the game's progress in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" The studio announced.