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

A Rocky Development Journey

First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has experienced a bumpy development cycle. Last fall, the developer stated plans were to begin alpha testing sometime in 2025. A period of silence followed, until the project was showcased again in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, following initial testing resulted in mixed reactions, the studio announced in June that it was postponing the game's launch.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Despite the title has already encountered its portion of issues, Bungie appears determined to make certain their project doesn't suffer Concord's fate. Now, it appears the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as Bungie just disclosed that it has conducted multiple private tests to collect player input on the game" since June of this year. The developer is expanding access, enabling additional participants to catch a glimpse of the game via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Given the fact that it's a private testing phase, it's understandably limited access than, for example, an public test. To participate in the exclusive trial — which takes place between October 22nd to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — players must meet the listed pre-requisites:

• Apply via their platform
• Reside in Europe or North America
• Own a PS5, Xbox Series X or S, or compatible computer (system requirements include an compatible CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and sufficient memory)
• Participate in their community platform
• Sign an NDA via the online community

How to Apply

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the private trial, applicants must complete registration by the October 16th deadline. Players on Windows PC can also register via the digital platform starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with Steam applications due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. The developer will contact 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 multiple locations, five runner shells, proximity communication, re-tuned combat pacing, individual matchmaking, enhanced narrative elements, and additional features," the studio said. "However, the current version is a development build and will only include a selection of what's planned for the game's full release, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

More info about the technical test and the actual experience can be found on Marathon'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 state of the game is the next thing on the schedule once the test is over.

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