🔗 Share this article Bungie's Troubled Action Game Project Marathon Is Making a Comeback Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated project, has reared its head again with the news of a closed technical test scheduled to run later this month. A Challenging Path to Launch First announced during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has undergone a tumultuous creation process. In October 2024, 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 April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, after some playtests resulted in negative feedback, the studio announced in June that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely. Steering Clear of Controversy Despite the title has already encountered its portion of issues, Bungie appears committed to ensure Marathon doesn't suffer Concord's fate. Now, it seems the game's development is moving forward again, as Bungie just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to gather feedback on the game" since June of this year. The studio is opening the doors a bit wider, enabling more players to catch a glimpse of the game via an upcoming "closed technical test." Technical Test Details Given the fact that it's a private technical test, it's understandably more exclusive than, for example, an open beta. To participate in the exclusive trial — which takes place between Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — participants must meet the following requirements: Apply via the official website Live in Europe or North America Own a PS5, Xbox console, or compatible computer (system requirements include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, supported graphics card, and 8GB RAM) Join the official Discord server Sign an NDA via the online community 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 register via the digital platform starting on October 13th, with digital platform registrations due by October 26th. Bungie will contact selected participants and provide details of the next steps. "This is an important checkpoint for us as we test our improvements since Marathon's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, proximity communication, adjusted gameplay rhythm, individual matchmaking, deeper environmental storytelling, and additional features," the studio stated. "However, the current version is a work in progress and will only include a portion of what's planned for the game's full release, focused on the initial gameplay moments." Further Details More info about the technical test and the game itself can be located on the game's support section. But for individuals who aren't selected for the test (or don't have time), there's positive developments: Bungie says a public update on the state of the game is the next thing on the agenda once the trial concludes. "We'll be sharing a public update on the game's progress in the coming months after the private testing phase!" The studio announced.