The Developer's Troubled Shooter Marathon Is Making a Comeback
The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, the studio's highly-anticipated project, has resurfaced with the announcement of a exclusive testing phase set to begin in October.
A Challenging Path to Launch
Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has undergone a tumultuous creation process. Last fall, Bungie announced it was aiming to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. This was followed by quiet months, until the project was showcased again in spring with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, after some playtests led to negative feedback, Bungie announced in June that it was postponing the game's launch.
Steering Clear of Controversy
Though the title has already encountered its fair share of controversies, the development team appears determined to make certain Marathon avoids Concord's fate. Now, it appears the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as they just revealed that it has run "several closed playtests to collect player input on the game" since this past summer. The studio is expanding access, allowing more players to catch a glimpse of the experience via an forthcoming "closed technical test."
Exclusive Testing Information
Given the fact that it's a closed technical test, it's understandably limited access than, say, an public test. To participate in the exclusive trial — which runs from October 22nd to October 28th — players must meet the following requirements:
- Submit an application via their platform
- Live in supported regions
- Own a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (system requirements include an compatible CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and sufficient memory)
- Join their community platform
- Sign an NDA via the Discord server
Application Process
Registration is currently available, and to be considered for the private trial, players must submit their application by the October 16th deadline. PC users can also register via the digital platform starting on October 13th, with digital platform registrations due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. Bungie will contact players who qualify and provide details of the next steps.
"This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since Marathon's Alpha, including multiple locations, several character options, proximity communication, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and more," Bungie said. "That said, the current version is a development build and will only include a selection of what's intended for the game's final version, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."
Further Details
More info about the technical test and the game itself can be found on Marathon's help page. But for individuals who aren't selected for the test (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 public update on Marathon's development in the near future after the private testing phase!" Bungie announced.
