Marathon, developed by Bungie, is running a paid playtest that will pay participants $500 for meeting a daily play requirement, according to a reported invitation email. The playtest reportedly runs for 30 consecutive days, from Monday, 9/8, to Tuesday, 10/7, with participants asked to play for at least an hour daily and complete short surveys.
Selected members of Bungie’s internal playtester pool were reportedly emailed an invitation that outlines the schedule, survey cadence, and payout rules. TheGamePost published a copy of the invitation, and the details say the study is 100% remote, with weekday windows of 3-7 pm PST and weekend windows of 2-8 pm PST, plus a daily and weekly survey to collect feedback; participants who meet the hourly goal and submit surveys get the full reward.
The payout won’t be direct cash but a gift card to a store of the participant’s choosing, which is the simplest way for a studio to distribute funds online. The plan includes partial rewards proportional to the number of days completed, so you won’t leave completely empty-handed if you miss a few days. That figure is not sinister, considering it’s structured around short daily commitments.
There is an NDA attached to this playtest, so we shouldn’t expect wide leaks from invitees. Hmm, that means the public won’t see much until Bungie decides to share it more broadly or the game approaches its release.
The invitation comes after several controversial moments around Marathon testing and marketing, including a reported plagiarism. That history may explain why Bungie is offering a relatively large incentive to get steady participation and consistent feedback.
If you were wondering whether this is a sign of panic or just thorough user research, the answer may be both and neither – only time and the final release will tell. Is paying testers a reasonable step to get consistent input, or a way to influence feedback? That question will likely arise as more people compare notes.
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