🔗 Share this article Bungie's Challenged Action Game Project Marathon Shows Signs of Life Marathon, Bungie's much-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 gaming showcase, the game has undergone a tumultuous creation process. In October 2024, Bungie stated plans were 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, following initial testing led to mixed reactions, Bungie announced in June that it was postponing the game's launch. Steering Clear of Controversy Despite the title has already seen its fair share of controversies, Bungie appears determined to make certain Marathon doesn't suffer Concord's fate. Currently, it appears the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as they just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to collect player input on Marathon" since June of this year. The studio is opening the doors a bit wider, enabling additional participants to catch a glimpse of the game via an forthcoming "closed technical test." Technical Test Details Given the fact that it's a private testing phase, it's understandably limited access than, for example, an public test. To participate in the technical test — which runs from Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. PDT to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. PDT — participants must satisfy the listed requirements: Submit an application via the official website Reside in supported regions Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X or S, or Windows PC (system requirements include an compatible CPU, supported graphics card, and sufficient memory) Participate in their community platform Sign an NDA via the Discord server How to Apply Applications are open now, 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 Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with Steam applications due by Oct. 26 at 4 p.m. PDT. The developer will contact players who qualify and provide details of the next steps. "This is an important checkpoint for us as we evaluate enhancements since the game's Alpha, including multiple locations, five runner shells, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and additional features," Bungie said. "That said, the current version is a work in progress and will only include a selection of what's intended for the game's full release, concentrating on the early player experience." Further Details Additional details about the private trial and the actual experience can be found on the game's support section. But for players who aren't selected for the test (or cannot participate), there's still good news: Bungie says a public update on the state of the game is the following item 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.