The Developer's Troubled Shooter Marathon Shows Signs of Life
The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, Bungie's highly-anticipated game, has reared its head again with the news of a closed technical test scheduled to begin in October.
A Challenging Path to Launch
First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has undergone a bumpy creation process. In October 2024, the developer stated it was aiming to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was re-revealed in spring with a planned September release. However, following initial testing resulted in negative feedback, the studio announced in June that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.
Avoiding Past Mistakes
Despite Marathon has already encountered its fair share of controversies, Bungie appears determined to make certain their project doesn't suffer Concord's fate. 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 Marathon" since this past summer. The developer is opening the doors a bit wider, allowing additional participants to catch a glimpse of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."
Technical Test Details
Considering it's a private testing phase, it's understandably limited access than, say, an public test. To gain access in the technical test — which runs from Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — participants must meet the listed requirements:
- Submit an application via their platform
- Live in Europe or North America
- Have access to a PS5, Xbox Series X or S, or compatible computer (system requirements include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
- Join their community platform
- Complete confidentiality agreement via the Discord server
How to Apply
Applications are open now, and to be eligible for the technical test, applicants must submit their application by Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. PDT. Players on Windows PC can also submit their application via Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with digital platform registrations due by October 26th. The developer will notify selected participants and provide details of the following procedures.
"This is an important checkpoint for us as we test our improvements since Marathon's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and more," the studio stated. "That said, the current version is a work in progress and will only include a portion of what's intended for the game's final version, concentrating on the early player experience."
Additional Information
More info about the technical test and the actual experience can be found on Marathon's support section. But for individuals who don't qualify for the trial (or don't have time), there's still good news: The developer says a official announcement on the state of the game is the next thing on the schedule once the test is over.
"There will be a comprehensive report on the game's progress in the near future after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie announced.
