Marathon Game Server Slam Goes Live: Director Shares 11 Tips Ahead of March 5 Launch
The marathon game Server Slam open preview weekend is live, giving players a hands-on taste of the extraction FPS ahead of its March 5 launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. The Server Slam runs from February 26 at 1 p. m. ET (10 a. m. PT) through March 2 at 1 p. m. ET (10 a. m. PT), and Marathon's game director Joe Ziegler has shared 11 tips for beginners to help players make the most of the technical stress test.
Server Slam schedule, platforms and cross-play
The Server Slam is scheduled to run from February 26 at 1 p. m. ET to March 2 at 1 p. m. ET. During that window the preview is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, with cross-play and cross-save enabled so players can jump in across systems. This open preview is explicitly framed as a chance to play before launch and to help the team spin up global infrastructure at scale for the first time.
What Marathon Game director Joe Ziegler wants beginners to know
Joe Ziegler, Marathon's game director, has published 11 starter tips aimed at newcomers. Those tips were shared and edited for clarity in recent coverage and are presented as a foundation of tricks to build on. They are timed to help players get comfortable with the game's loop and the maps, which are set on a Tau Ceti planet.
What the Server Slam is testing: a technical stress test
The Server Slam is described as a technical stress test. The team is turning systems on worldwide, inviting as many players as possible, and watching how servers behave as players log in, crew up, infil, exfil, and log out repeatedly. Staff will be standing by throughout the weekend to monitor performance, address issues, and make adjustments; instances of breakage are treated as useful data to improve the March 5 launch. Players should expect this weekend to feel a little different from a standard launch preview — it is a slice of the game, not the full experience.
Rewards, progression and what carries over to launch
Participation in the Server Slam comes with exclusive cosmetic and progression incentives that will carry into launch. Everyone who completes the introductory mission during the weekend will unlock a unique Beta. exe emblem and a Complex Study player background, marking them as part of the first wave of Runners. Time spent in the preview will also bank loot rewards for launch based on progress:
- Complete your first mission: Unlock the Standard Arrival Cache
- Reach Runner Level 10: Unlock the Enhanced Arrival Cache (Green)
- Reach Runner Level 30: Unlock the Deluxe Arrival Cache (Blue)
Cosmetic and loot rewards will be delivered once Marathon launches on March 5. The rollout may take some time to reach every player inbox; if you log in after launch and don't see your items immediately, hold tight—the rewards should arrive soon. For players who prefer to watch as well as play, tuning in to community streams during the Server Slam will also unlock cosmetic rewards for launch, with full claiming instructions provided through official support channels.
After the Slam: what to expect at launch and beyond
The Server Slam is a preview, not the full Marathon experience. When the game launches and Season 1 begins, players can expect additional zones, factions, contracts, gear, deeper progression systems, Ranked play and hidden elements that will reveal themselves in time. The weekend is positioned to help players arrive on launch day prepared for the dangers of Tau Ceti and ready to build on the early tips offered by the director.
Players planning to join the Server Slam should use the event window to test loadouts, practice the infil/exfil loop, and take advantage of the chance to influence the game's stability before the full release on March 5.
