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The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, the studio's highly-anticipated game, has reared its head again with the news of a closed technical test scheduled to take place soon.

A Rocky Development Journey

Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game has experienced a tumultuous creation process. In October 2024, Bungie stated plans were to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. A period of silence followed, until the project was re-revealed in April with a planned September release. However, after some playtests resulted in negative feedback, the studio announced in June that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Though the title has already seen its portion of controversies, the development team appears determined to make certain Marathon doesn't suffer Concord's fate. Currently, it seems the game's development is moving forward again, as Bungie just disclosed that it has run "several closed playtests to collect player input on the game" since this past summer. The studio is expanding access, enabling additional participants to get an early look of the game via an forthcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Considering it's a private technical test, it's understandably limited access than, say, an public test. To participate in the technical test — which takes place between Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to October 28th — players must satisfy the listed requirements:

• Submit an application via their platform
• Reside in Europe or North America
• Have access to a PS5, Xbox console, or Windows PC (minimum PC specs include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, supported graphics card, and sufficient memory)
• Join the official Discord server
• Sign an NDA via the online community

Application Process

Applications are open now, and to be eligible for the private trial, players must complete registration by the October 16th deadline. PC users can also register via Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with Steam applications due by October 26th. Bungie will contact selected participants and provide details of the next steps.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, several character options, prox chat, adjusted gameplay rhythm, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and more," Bungie stated. "However, the current version is a development build and will only include a portion of what's planned for the game's final version, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."

Additional Information

Additional details about the private trial and the actual experience can be found on the game's help page. But for individuals who aren't selected for the test (or cannot participate), there's still good news: The developer says a official announcement on the state of the game is the following item on the schedule once the trial concludes.

"We'll be sharing a public update on the game's progress in the near future after the Closed Technical Test!" The studio shared.