Marathon Server Slam Is Almost Here
The marathon Server Slam opens on February 26 at 1 p. m. ET and runs through March 2 at 1 p. m. ET, offering a free preview weekend that doubles as a global technical stress test ahead of the game’s March 5 launch. Players can jump in now to try the game early, earn exclusive cosmetic items and bank loot rewards that unlock when the game ships.
Schedule, platforms and cross-play details
The Server Slam runs from February 26 at 10 a. m. PT/1 p. m. ET to March 2 at 10 a. m. PT/1 p. m. ET. During the weekend the game is free to play on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with cross-play and cross-save enabled across those platforms. The event is also part of Steam Next Fest.
What Bungie calls a technical stress test
The developer describes the Server Slam as a technical stress test: turning everything on worldwide, inviting as many players in as possible, and watching systems as players log in, crew up, infil, exfil, log out and repeat. Teams will be standing by throughout the weekend to address issues, monitor performance and make adjustments; when something breaks, that data is intended to improve the March 5 launch.
Rewards during the Server Slam and delivery at launch
Everyone who completes the introductory mission during the weekend will unlock a Beta. exe emblem and a Complex Study player background that mark participants as part of the first wave of Runners; these cosmetics are exclusive to Server Slam players. Time spent during the Slam also banks loot rewards that will be delivered once the game launches on March 5: completing your first mission unlocks the Standard Arrival Cache; reaching Runner Level 10 unlocks the Enhanced Arrival Cache (Green); reaching Runner Level 30 unlocks the Deluxe Arrival Cache (Blue). The developer warns the rollout of those rewards after launch may take a bit of time, so players who don’t see them immediately in their inbox should hold tight.
How much of the game is included and what’s coming at launch and Season 1
The Server Slam is a slice of the full experience and will not include all maps and content coming to the main game; it functions as both a marketing beta and a server stress test, but should provide a large chunk of the full game for a weekend of play. At launch the game will add two more maps—Outpost and Cryo Archive—with Cryo Archive arriving during Season 1. The sixth Runner Shell, Thief, will be available at launch but not during the Server Slam. Ranked mode and additional content are slated to arrive in Season 1.
Setting, gameplay loop, viewing rewards and director tips
Marathon is set on the distant world of Tau Ceti IV, a derelict space colony where Runners and hostile UESC security forces roam. The year in the game is 2893, 99 years after the events of the original Marathon game and hundreds of years after the colony’s establishment. Players will scavenge across maps that include futuristic research facilities and lush forests, battle other players (PvP) and AI enemies (PvE), work their way toward the Cryo Archive—the first floor of the UESC Marathon orbiting above—and attempt to extract with loot and cosmetics, seasonal power and more.
Those who prefer to watch can tune in to anyone streaming Marathon on Twitch during the Server Slam and snag a set of cosmetic rewards for launch; full details on how to secure and claim those rewards will be available on support pages. Ahead of the Server Slam, game director Joe Ziegler shared 11 tips for beginners to keep in mind before heading into the weekend.
