Bungie's Troubled Shooter Project Marathon Is Gaining Momentum
Marathon, the studio's highly-anticipated game, has made a reappearance with the announcement of a exclusive testing phase scheduled to take place soon.
A Rocky Development Journey
Initially revealed during the 2023 gaming showcase, the game has undergone a bumpy development cycle. Last fall, the developer stated plans were to start Alpha tests during the coming year. This was followed by quiet months, until the game was showcased again in April with a planned September release. However, after some playtests resulted in mixed reactions, Bungie revealed during summer that it was postponing the game's launch.
Steering Clear of Controversy
Despite Marathon has already seen its portion of controversies, Bungie appears determined to make certain their project avoids Concord's fate. Currently, it seems the project's progress is finally getting back on track, as they just disclosed that it has run "several closed playtests to gather feedback on Marathon" since June of this year. The developer is expanding access, allowing more players to get an early look of the game via an upcoming "closed technical test."
Exclusive Testing Information
Given the fact that it's a private testing phase, it's understandably more exclusive than, for example, an open beta. To participate in the exclusive trial — which runs from October 22nd to October 28th — participants must meet the listed requirements:
- Apply via the official website
- Reside in supported regions
- Have access to a PlayStation 5, Xbox console, or Windows PC (system requirements include an Intel Core i5-6600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU, and 8GB RAM)
- Participate in the official Discord server
- Sign an NDA via the Discord server
Application Process
Registration is currently available, and to be eligible for the technical test, players must complete registration by the October 16th deadline. PC users can also register via the digital platform starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with Steam applications due by October 26th. The developer will contact players who qualify 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, solo queue, enhanced narrative elements, and more," Bungie stated. "That said, the current version is a development build and will only include a portion of what's intended for the game's final version, concentrating on the initial gameplay moments."
Additional Information
Additional details about the technical test and the actual experience can be found on Marathon's help page. But for individuals who don't qualify for the test (or cannot participate), there's still good news: Bungie says a official announcement on the state of the game is the following item on the schedule once the trial concludes.
"We'll be sharing a comprehensive report on Marathon's development in the near future after the private testing phase!" Bungie shared.
