Bungie's Challenged Action Game Project Marathon Is Gaining Momentum
The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, the studio's much-anticipated project, has resurfaced with the announcement of a exclusive testing phase scheduled to take place soon.
A Challenging Path to Launch
Initially revealed during the 2023 gaming showcase, Marathon has undergone a tumultuous development cycle. Last fall, Bungie stated plans were to begin alpha testing sometime in 2025. A period of silence followed, until the game was showcased again in spring with a planned September release. However, after some playtests led to mixed reactions, the studio revealed during summer that it was postponing the game's launch.
Steering Clear of Controversy
Despite the title has already seen its portion of controversies, the development team appears determined to make certain their project doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Now, it seems the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as Bungie just disclosed that it has run "several closed playtests to collect player input on the game" since June of this year. The studio 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 technical test, it's understandably 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 Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — participants must satisfy the listed pre-requisites:
- Apply via the official website
- Reside in supported regions
- Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or compatible computer (minimum PC specs include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
- Join the official Discord server
- Complete confidentiality agreement via the online community
Application Process
Registration is currently available, and to be considered for the private trial, applicants must complete registration by the October 16th deadline. Players on Windows PC can also submit their application via Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with Steam applications due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will contact selected participants and provide details of the next steps.
"This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, several character options, proximity communication, adjusted gameplay rhythm, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and more," the studio stated. "That said, the Technical Test build is a development build and will only include a selection of what's intended for Marathon's final version, focused on the early player experience."
Further Details
Additional details about the private trial and the actual experience can be found on the game's support section. But for players who aren't selected for the test (or don't have time), there's still good news: The developer says a official announcement on the project's status is the following item on the agenda once the trial concludes.
"We'll be sharing a public update on Marathon's development in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" The studio announced.
