Marathon Server Slam opens for public playtest ahead of March 5 launch

The studio's extraction shooter marathon arrives as a preview weekend that will let players try the game and help scale its online systems before the full March 5 launch. 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, and Marathon game director Joe Ziegler has shared 11 tips for beginners in the hours leading up to the event.

Joe Ziegler's 11 tips and the open playtest schedule

Marathon game director Joe Ziegler published a set of 11 tips aimed at new players just ahead of the Server Slam. The open playtest begins on February 26 at 10 a. m. PT/1 p. m. ET and ends on March 2 at 10 a. m. PT/1 p. m. ET, giving anyone a window to jump in and test the game's introductory content this weekend.

Server Slam framed as a global technical stress test

The Server Slam is explicitly a technical stress test meant to spin up global infrastructure at scale for the first time. Organizers say they will be turning everything on worldwide and inviting as many players as they can to log in, crew up, infil, exfil, log out and repeat while teams monitor performance and address issues throughout the weekend.

Teams will stand by to make adjustments during the event, and when systems break that data will be used to improve the launch slated for March 5. Because of the test-oriented nature of the weekend, players should expect the Server Slam to feel different from a standard launch weekend.

Marathon platforms, cross-play, Steam Next Fest and viewing rewards

Players can try Marathon on Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S with cross-play and cross-save enabled. The Server Slam also coincides with Steam Next Fest, and streaming activity during the weekend will unlock additional cosmetic rewards for launch: viewers who tune in to streams will be able to snag a set of cosmetics for use when Marathon releases.

Worldbuilding in Tau Ceti IV and what the preview includes

Marathon is set on the distant world of Tau Ceti IV, a derelict space colony populated by Runners and hostile UESC security forces. The game is placed in the year 2893, 99 years after the events of the original Marathon game and hundreds of years after the colony's establishment became a historical event.

Maps on offer in the Server Slam include futuristic research facilities and lush forests; the planetary surface is only the beginning, and players can work toward the Cryo Archive, described as the first floor of the UESC Marathon orbiting above. The Server Slam will not include all maps and content planned for the full release—organizers call it a preview weekend and a marketing beta as well as a server stress test—but it should provide a large chunk of the game for a weekend of play.

Launch content, Season 1 plans and missing items in the Slam

At launch and into Season 1, additional zones and features are scheduled: Outpost and Cryo Archive are listed among the maps arriving at launch or during Season 1, Ranked mode is slated to arrive in Season 1, and Season 1 will add more zones, factions, contracts, gear and progression depth. The sixth Runner Shell, Thief, will be available at launch but will not be present in the Server Slam.

Progression rewards, exclusive cosmetics and delivery on 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, cosmetics exclusive to participants. Time spent during the weekend will also bank loot rewards for launch based on in-session progress: completing your first mission unlocks the Standard Arrival Cache; reaching Runner Level 10 unlocks the Enhanced Arrival Cache (Green); and reaching Runner Level 30 unlocks the Deluxe Arrival Cache (Blue).

Cosmetic and loot rewards will be delivered once Marathon launches on March 5. Organizers note that it may take a bit of time to roll out rewards to everyone, and if players log in on launch day and don’t immediately see items in their inbox they should wait—rewards should arrive soon.

Extraction shooter context: DayZ roots, Escape from Tarkov and ARC Raiders

The Server Slam sits inside a moment when extraction shooters have gained mainstream attention. The genre's lineage is traced back to the DayZ mod for ARMA 2; examples of modern extraction shooters include Escape from Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown. A recent title, ARC Raiders, is cited as having added polish and accessibility to the category and achieved what has been described as overnight success late last year. Marathon aims to join that field with first-person shooter gunplay and a neon sci-fi setting for Runners seeking loot and extraction.