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The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, Bungie's highly-anticipated project, has reared its head again with the announcement of a exclusive testing phase set to run later this month.

A Challenging Path to Launch

Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has undergone a bumpy development cycle. Last fall, Bungie announced it was aiming to begin alpha testing sometime in 2025. A period of silence followed, until the game was re-revealed in April with a planned September release. However, after some playtests resulted in negative feedback, Bungie announced in June that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Though Marathon has already encountered its fair share of controversies, the development team appears committed to ensure Marathon avoids the same outcome as other games. Now, it appears the game's development is moving forward again, as Bungie just disclosed 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 forthcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Considering it's a private technical test, it's understandably limited access than, for example, an public test. To participate in the technical test — which takes place between Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to October 28th — participants must meet the listed requirements:

• Apply via their platform
• Live in supported regions
• Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or compatible computer (minimum PC specs include an compatible CPU, supported graphics card, and sufficient memory)
• Participate in their community platform
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the online community

How to Apply

Registration is currently available, and to be considered for the technical test, applicants must complete registration by the October 16th deadline. PC users 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. The developer will notify players who qualify and inform them of the following procedures.

"This represents a crucial milestone for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, proximity communication, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and more," Bungie stated. "That said, the Technical Test build is a development build and will only include a portion of what's intended for the game's full release, concentrating 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 players who aren't selected for the test (or don't have time), there's positive developments: The developer says a public update on the state of the game is the following item on the agenda once the test is over.

"We'll be sharing a public update on Marathon's development in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie announced.