Marathon Confirms Server Slam Dates That Let You Play Early

Marathon fans will get their chance to try the game out early before it launches as Bungie revealed new details about its upcoming extraction shooter while also confirming Server Slam dates. The long and winding development road for Marathon is quickly approaching the light at the end of the tunnel, with its release only just a few weeks away. From an underwhelming alpha test, various controversies like being accused of plagiarism, to a delay, Marathon has just about seen it all during its lengthy development.

In actuality, Marathon‘s release delay into 2026 may have been the best thing for the game, as it not only avoided the juggernaut that is ARC Raiders, and it’s huge launch last year, but it gave the development team more time to further refine the game and add in highly requested features like proximity chat. In addition, the available shells, the characters that players can pick from, were also given another pass, while new ones were added to the launch roster like the “free loadout” Rook and the combat medic known as Triage. For those who may still be on the fence, Bungie is giving everyone a chance to go hands-on with Marathon before it releases.

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Marathon Server Slam Dates

February 26 at 10 AM PT to March 2 at 10 AM PT

As part of Sony’s PlayStation State of Play, Marathon was given the spotlight to showcase more of its world and what players will be diving into on March 5. As the studio promised last month, Marathon is getting a Server Slam spinning up on February 26 at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET and running through the weekend when it comes to an end on March 2, just days before Marathon launches on March 5. Not only does this give players a chance to check out Marathon and see if it’s something their interested in, Bungie is also giving away some rewards for launch.

Specifically, rewards will be earned based on how far players progress during the Slam, with new gear being offered for completing the first mission, hitting Runner Level 10, and then Runner Level 30. Here’s the full breakdown:

Standard Arrival Cache – Complete 1 mission

Standard implants (6x)
Standard Runner shell cores (4x)
Standard weapon chip mods (6x)
Weapons: Overrun and Hardline

Enhanced Arrival Cache – Reach Runner Level 10

Enhanced implants (6x)
Enhanced Runner shell cores (2x for each shell, 12x total)
Enhanced weapon chip mods (4x)
Weapons: Enhanced Magnum and Enhanced Hardline

Deluxe Arrival Cache – Reach Runner Level 30

Deluxe and Enhanced implants (3x each, 6x total)
Deluxe and Enhanced Runner shell cores (1x each for each shell, 12x total)
Deluxe and Enhanced weapon chip mods (2x each, 4x total)
Weapons: Deluxe Magnum and Enhanced Volley Rifle
Backpack: Deluxe Base Backpack

Keep in mind that the Marathon Server Slam is only a piece of the full game. Players will only be able to explore two maps, Perimeter and Dire Marsh, essentially the first two zones of the game. In terms of Marathon’s unique factions, only five will be available to hand out contracts to players: CyberAcme, NuCaloric, Traxus, MIDA, and Arachne with Sekiguchi Genetics sitting out until launch. In addition, not all of Marathon‘s Runner shells will be available, as Bungie confirmed only 5 will be available, including the Rook. Fans of the Thief shell will have to wait until launch.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)

Part of the reveal highlighted more of Marathon‘s overarching narrative, which has only been hinted at in favor of showing off much of the moment-to-moment combat players will be engaging in. The UESC Marathon colony ship departed with over 30,000 colonists on board to establish a new home on Tau Ceti, but after arriving 300 years later, contact was lost. Now, scavengers and mercenaries are attempting to scour the colony to unearth its secrets, funded by warring factions.

The final surprise was that PlayStation Plus subscribers could download some special rewards once Marathon launches. Specifically, 3 weapon charms that can be attached to weapons, paying homage to Ghost of Yotei, Death Stranding 2, and Helldivers 2.