Bungie's Troubled Action Game Project Marathon Shows Signs of Life
The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, the studio's highly-anticipated game, has reared its head again with the news of a exclusive testing phase set to begin in October.
A Rocky Development Journey
First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, the game has undergone a bumpy creation process. Last fall, Bungie announced plans were to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was showcased again in April with a planned September release. However, after some playtests resulted in mixed reactions, Bungie announced in June that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.
Avoiding Past Mistakes
Despite Marathon has already encountered its portion of controversies, the development team appears determined to make certain their project avoids the same outcome as other games. Currently, it appears the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as Bungie just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to collect player input on the game" since June of this year. The studio is expanding access, enabling additional participants to get an early look of the game via an forthcoming "closed technical test."
Technical Test Details
Considering it's a closed technical test, it's understandably limited access than, say, an open beta. To participate in the technical test — 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 their platform
- Reside in supported regions
- Own a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or Windows PC (minimum PC specs include an compatible CPU, supported graphics card, and 8GB RAM)
- Join the official Discord server
- Complete confidentiality agreement via the online community
How to Apply
Applications are open now, and to be considered for the technical test, players must submit their application 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 digital platform registrations due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will notify players who qualify and provide details of the following procedures.
"This represents a crucial milestone for us as we test our improvements since Marathon's Alpha, including three maps, several character options, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and more," Bungie said. "However, the Technical Test build is a development build and will only include a selection of what's planned for Marathon's full release, focused on the early player experience."
Further Details
More info about the private trial and the actual experience can be located on Marathon's support section. But for individuals who aren't selected 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 trial concludes.
"There will be a public update on Marathon's development in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" The studio announced.
