Bungie's Challenged Shooter Project Marathon Is Gaining Momentum

Marathon, Bungie's highly-anticipated project, has resurfaced with the news of a exclusive testing phase set to begin in October.

A Rocky Development Journey

Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game has experienced a bumpy creation process. In October 2024, the developer announced plans were to begin alpha testing during the coming year. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was showcased again in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, after some playtests resulted in negative feedback, Bungie revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Despite Marathon has already encountered its portion of controversies, Bungie appears determined to ensure Marathon avoids the same outcome as other games. Currently, it seems the game's development is finally getting back on track, as they just revealed that it has run "several closed playtests to gather feedback on the game" since June of this year. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, allowing more players to get an early look of the game via an forthcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Given the fact that it's a closed technical test, it's naturally more exclusive than, for example, an open beta. To gain access in the exclusive trial — which runs from October 22nd to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — players must satisfy the listed requirements:

• Apply via their platform
• Reside in Europe or North America
• Own a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or compatible computer (minimum PC specs include an compatible CPU, supported graphics card, and 8GB RAM)
• Participate in the official Discord server
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the Discord server

How to Apply

Registration is currently available, and to be considered for the technical test, players 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 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 three maps, several character options, prox chat, adjusted gameplay rhythm, individual matchmaking, deeper environmental storytelling, and additional features," Bungie stated. "That said, the Technical Test build is a work in progress and will only include a selection of what's intended for the game's full release, focused on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

Additional details about the private trial and the game itself can be located on the game's help page. But for players who don't qualify for the trial (or don't have time), there's positive developments: Bungie says a public update on the project's status is the following item on the agenda once the trial concludes.

"There will be a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the coming months after the private testing phase!" The studio shared.