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The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, the studio's much-anticipated game, has made a reappearance with the announcement of a closed technical test scheduled to begin in October.

A Rocky Development Journey

First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game has experienced a tumultuous creation process. Last fall, Bungie announced plans were to begin alpha testing during the coming year. 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 mixed reactions, Bungie revealed during summer that it was postponing the game's launch.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Though the title has already encountered its portion of controversies, the development team appears determined to ensure Marathon doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Currently, 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 this past summer. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, allowing additional participants to catch a glimpse of the game via an forthcoming "closed technical test."

Technical Test Details

Considering 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 Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to October 28th — players must satisfy the listed pre-requisites:

• Apply via their platform
• Live in supported regions
• Own a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or Windows PC (system requirements include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and sufficient memory)
• Participate in the official Discord server
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the online community

How to Apply

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the private trial, applicants must submit their application 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 players who qualify and provide details of the next steps.

"This is an important checkpoint for us as we test our improvements since the game's Alpha, including three maps, five runner shells, proximity communication, re-tuned combat pacing, individual matchmaking, enhanced narrative elements, and more," the studio said. "That said, the Technical Test build is a development build and will only include a portion of what's intended for Marathon's final version, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

More info about the technical test and the game itself can be found on Marathon's support section. But for players who aren't selected for the trial (or don't have time), there's still good news: The developer says a public update on the state of the game is the following item on the schedule once the test is over.

"There will be a public update on the game's progress in the near future after the private testing phase!" Bungie shared.