Marathon Server Slam Goes Live Today: Game Director’s 11 Tips, Beta Start Times, Rewards and What’s Included Before March 5 Launch
The Marathon Server Slam opens today, giving players a free, open playtest of Bungie’s extraction FPS before the full launch on March 5. Marathon’s weekend preview is both a player-facing chance to sample the game and a global technical stress test that will shape the March 5 release—making this weekend meaningful for anyone planning to jump in at launch.
Marathon Server Slam schedule and platforms
The Server Slam runs from February 26 at 10 a. m. PT / 1 p. m. ET through March 2 at 10 a. m. PT / 1 p. m. ET. The playtest is free and playable on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, with cross-play and cross-save enabled. The weekend is also appearing as part of a major PC festival, giving extra visibility on PC storefronts.
11 tips from Marathon game director Joe Ziegler
In the hours before the Server Slam, Marathon game director Joe Ziegler shared 11 tips aimed at beginners to help new players get a head start during the open preview. Those tips were distributed and edited for clarity ahead of the playtest and are intended to provide a foundation for newcomers while teams monitor weekend performance and player behavior.
What the Server Slam is — technical stress test and slice of the game
The Server Slam is explicitly a technical stress test: the studio is turning systems on worldwide, inviting as many players in as possible, and watching systems as players log in, crew up, infil, exfil, log out, repeat. Expect the weekend to feel different from a standard launch event; the studio will be standing by throughout to address issues, monitor performance, and make adjustments. Breaks and failures during the weekend are treated as data to improve the March 5 launch.
Setting and gameplay snapshot for Marathon
Marathon takes place on the Tau Ceti planet, specifically Tau Ceti IV, a derelict space colony where Runners and hostile UESC security forces roam. The game is set in the year 2893, 99 years after the original Marathon game and hundreds of years after the colony’s establishment. Players scavenge futuristic research facilities and lush forests, battle both other players (PvP) and AI enemies (PvE), seek better loot, and attempt to extract while earning cosmetics, seasonal power and more. Surface maps lead toward the Cryo Archive and the first floor of the UESC Marathon orbiting above.
Content available now versus what arrives at launch and in Season 1
- The Server Slam is a preview weekend, not the full game; it offers a substantial slice but not everything coming at launch.
- At launch and in Season 1 players can expect additional zones, factions, contracts, gear, deeper progression, Ranked mode, and some secrets to discover.
- At launch the game will include two additional maps—Outpost and Cryo Archive (Cryo Archive launches during Season 1)—and the sixth Runner Shell, Thief, will be available at launch but not during the Server Slam.
Rewards, progression and how Server Slam play carries into March 5
Everyone who completes the introductory mission during the Server Slam will unlock a unique Beta. exe emblem and a Complex Study player background, exclusive to Server Slam participants. Time spent during the weekend will also bank loot rewards for launch based on progress:
| Progress | Launch Reward |
|---|---|
| Complete your first mission | Standard Arrival Cache |
| Reach Runner Level 10 | Enhanced Arrival Cache (Green) |
| Reach Runner Level 30 | Deluxe Arrival Cache (Blue) |
These cosmetic and loot rewards will be delivered once Marathon launches on March 5. The rollout may take a little time after launch, so players who don’t see items immediately should expect a brief delay while rewards are distributed.
For viewers, streamers will offer cosmetic rewards tied to watching during the Server Slam; full details and claiming instructions will be provided on the game’s support pages.
Why this weekend matters for launch
The Server Slam functions as both a final beta and a live technical rehearsal. It gives players early exposure to Marathon’s extraction gameplay and neon sci-fi world while giving the development team real-world load and gameplay data to refine systems before the March 5 release. With Joe Ziegler’s 11 beginner tips in hand, newcomers have a stronger base to learn the loop of infil, loot and exfil during this crucial preview window.
