The Developer's Challenged Shooter Marathon Is Making a Comeback

Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated project, has made a reappearance with the announcement of a closed technical test set to run later this month.

A Challenging Path to Launch

First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has experienced a bumpy creation process. In October 2024, Bungie stated it was aiming to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. A period of silence followed, until the game was re-revealed in spring with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, after some playtests led to negative feedback, Bungie revealed during summer that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Though Marathon has already seen its fair share of issues, Bungie appears committed to make certain their project doesn't suffer Concord's fate. Now, it seems the game's development is moving forward again, 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 testing phase, it's understandably more exclusive than, for example, an open beta. To participate in the exclusive trial — which takes place between Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — players must satisfy the following requirements:

• Apply via the official website
• Live in Europe or North America
• Own a PS5, Xbox console, or Windows PC (minimum PC specs include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, supported graphics card, and 8GB RAM)
• Join their community platform
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the Discord server

How to Apply

Applications are open now, and to be considered for the private trial, players must complete registration by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. Players on Windows PC can also register via Steam starting on October 13th, with Steam applications due by October 26th. The developer will contact selected participants and inform them of the next steps.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including three maps, several character options, proximity communication, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and more," the studio said. "That said, the current version is a work in progress and will only include a portion of what's intended for Marathon's full release, focused on the early player experience."

Additional Information

Additional details about the technical test and the game itself can be located on the game's help page. But for players who aren't selected for the trial (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 trial concludes.

"We'll be sharing a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the near future after the private testing phase!" The studio shared.