The Marathon Server Slam is officially live. The open preview weekend runs from now until March 2 at 10 AM PT, and it's completely free on all platforms.

How to Download Marathon

Marathon is available to download right now on all three platforms. Click the link for your platform to go directly to the store page:

No pre-order or purchase is required — just download and play. Cross-play and cross-save are active across all platforms.

Server Slam FAQ

Here are answers to the most common questions, sourced from the official Marathon Discord.

When is the Server Slam again?

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

Where can I play?

The Server Slam will be available on:

  • Steam
  • PlayStation 5
  • Xbox Series X|S

You do not need a PlayStation Plus membership to participate in the Server Slam. Once Marathon launches, an active online subscription service will be required to play on console.

Can I preload for Server Slam?

No, preloading will not be available for the Server Slam. This will help lessen the load on servers when first going live. Preloading will be available for Marathon's launch.

Is cross-play and cross-save supported?

Yes. Cross-play and cross-save will be active for the Server Slam, just like they will be at launch. You will be able to play with friends across platforms and carry your account between them.

Is this the full game?

No. The Server Slam is an open preview weekend that represents a slice of Marathon's launch content and progression. When Marathon launches and Season 1 kicks off, you can expect additional zones, factions, contracts, gear, progression depth, the Thief Runner shell, Ranked, and some secrets you'll have to experience yourself.

Does my Server Slam progression carry over to launch?

Your Server Slam progression will not carry over to launch. However:

  • Your earned launch rewards (emblem, player background, Twitch Drops) will be granted to your account on March 5th
  • Your Arrival Caches filled with loot will be delivered to your account on March 5th to help jumpstart your first runs; earn better loot for reaching Runner Level 10 and Runner Level 30
  • The experience you gain learning zones, contracts, and shells will give you a head start on day one

When do I get my rewards?

In-game Server Slam rewards (emblem, background, Arrival Caches) will be delivered to your account when Marathon launches on March 5th via the in-game mailbox. It'll take a bit of time to roll out the rewards to everyone, so if you login and don't see them in your inbox, hold tight — they should arrive soon!

Twitch Drops will be granted to your Bungie.net account after you meet the watch requirements and claim them on Twitch, and will appear in-game at launch. They may take up to 48 hours to arrive in your in-game Mailbox and must be redeemed by March 31.

If you run into any issues claiming or receiving rewards, Bungie's support team will have a full troubleshooting guide available.

Why is it called a "Server Slam"?

Up until now, Bungie has been running monthly playtests to gather feedback about Marathon. These have been essential for improving Marathon alongside the community, but they haven't had the chance to test their technical infrastructure at scale.

This weekend is all about slamming the servers with as many active players as possible. You bringing your friends and hammering the queues will help find and fix technical issues before the full launch on March 5th.

Will there be bugs, queues, or downtime?

Yes. You should expect this to be less stable than launch.

  • Login queues are likely
  • Disconnects and error codes may occur
  • Servers may go down for emergency maintenance

Bungie will communicate status updates on their official channels and will be actively monitoring telemetry throughout the weekend. For the latest info, follow:

Which regions and languages are supported?

The Server Slam will be available worldwide, with localized text and voice over for all supported languages.

Follow @MarathonDB for live updates during the Server Slam.