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The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, Bungie's highly-anticipated game, has reared its head again with the news of a exclusive testing phase scheduled to take place soon.

A Rocky Development Journey

Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has undergone a bumpy creation process. Last fall, Bungie stated plans were to start Alpha tests sometime in 2025. A period of silence followed, until the game was re-revealed in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, following initial testing resulted in mixed reactions, the studio announced in June that it was delaying Marathon indefinitely.

Avoiding Past Mistakes

Though the title has already encountered its fair share of controversies, the development team appears committed to make certain their project avoids Concord's fate. Currently, it seems the project's progress is moving forward again, as Bungie just revealed that it has run "several closed playtests to gather feedback on the game" since this past summer. The studio is expanding access, enabling more players to catch a glimpse of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."

Exclusive Testing Information

Considering it's a closed technical test, it's understandably limited access than, for example, an open beta. To gain access 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 satisfy the listed pre-requisites:

• Apply via their platform
• Live in Europe or North America
• Have access to a PS5, Xbox Series X or S, or compatible computer (minimum PC specs include an compatible CPU, supported graphics card, and 8GB RAM)
• Join their community platform
• Complete confidentiality agreement via the online community

Application Process

Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the technical test, players must submit their application by the October 16th deadline. PC users can also register via Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with digital platform registrations due by October 26th. The developer will notify players who qualify and provide details of the following procedures.

"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, deeper environmental storytelling, and additional features," Bungie stated. "However, 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 initial gameplay moments."

Further Details

More info 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 trial (or cannot participate), there's still good news: The developer says a official announcement on the state of the game is the following item on the schedule once the test is over.

"There will be a comprehensive report on the game's progress in the coming months after the Closed Technical Test!" Bungie shared.