The Developer's Troubled Action Game Marathon Shows Signs of Life
The upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter, the studio's much-anticipated project, has resurfaced with the announcement of a closed technical test set to run later this month.
A Challenging Path to Launch
Initially revealed during the 2023 PlayStation Showcase, Marathon has experienced a tumultuous creation process. Last fall, the developer announced plans were to start Alpha tests during the coming year. This was followed by quiet months, until the project was re-revealed in April with a Sept. 23 launch date. However, after some playtests resulted in mixed reactions, the studio announced in June that it was postponing the game's launch.
Avoiding Past Mistakes
Though the title has already seen its portion of issues, the development team appears committed to ensure their project doesn't suffer the same outcome as other games. Currently, it seems the project's progress is moving forward again, as they just revealed that it has conducted multiple private tests to collect player input on the game" since this past summer. The developer is expanding access, enabling additional participants to catch a glimpse of the experience via an upcoming "closed technical test."
Exclusive Testing Information
Considering it's a closed testing phase, it's naturally more exclusive than, say, an open beta. To participate in the technical test — 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 their platform
- Reside in Europe or North America
- Own 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)
- Join 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, applicants must complete registration by the October 16th deadline. PC users can also submit their application via Steam starting on Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. PDT, with Steam applications due by October 26th. The developer will contact players who qualify and inform them of the following procedures.
"This is an important checkpoint for us as we test our improvements since Marathon's Alpha, including three maps, five runner shells, prox chat, re-tuned combat pacing, solo queue, deeper environmental storytelling, and more," the studio stated. "However, the current version is a development build and will only include a portion of what's intended for the game's full release, focused on the initial gameplay moments."
Additional Information
More info about the technical test and the actual experience can be located on the game's help page. But for individuals who don't qualify for the test (or don't have time), there's still good news: Bungie says a public update on the project's status 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 near future after the Closed Technical Test!" The studio announced.
