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The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, the studio's much-anticipated project, has made a reappearance with the news of a exclusive testing phase set to run later this month.

A Rocky Development Journey

First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has experienced a tumultuous development cycle. Last fall, Bungie announced it was aiming to start Alpha tests during the coming year. A period of silence followed, until the project was showcased again in spring with a planned September release. However, following initial testing resulted in negative feedback, the studio revealed during summer that it was postponing the game's launch.

Steering Clear of Controversy

Though Marathon has already encountered its portion of controversies, the development team appears determined to make certain their project doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Currently, it seems the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as Bungie just revealed that it has run "several closed playtests to collect player input on Marathon" since June of this year. The studio is opening the doors a bit wider, allowing more players to get an early look of the game via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Considering it's a closed technical test, it's understandably limited access 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 — players must satisfy the following requirements:

• Submit an application via the official website
• Reside 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 sufficient memory)
• Participate in the official Discord server
• Sign an NDA via the online community

Application Process

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the private trial, players 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 digital platform registrations due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. The developer will notify players who qualify and provide details of the following procedures.

"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, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and additional features," the studio stated. "That said, the Technical Test build is a work in progress and will only include a selection of what's planned for the game's full release, focused on the early player experience."

Further Details

More info about the technical test and the game itself can be found on the game's help page. But for players who aren't selected for the trial (or cannot participate), there's still good news: Bungie says a official announcement on the project's status is the next thing on the agenda once the trial concludes.

"We'll be sharing a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" The studio announced.