Marathon Server Slam Gets Underway Today - Here's What You Need to Know 1

Marathon may be one of the more important launches in recent PlayStation history, as Sony has invested over $3 billion into dev Bungie, and this is its first all-new release.

After delaying the game late last year for polish, the extraction shooter will now deploy on 5th March. But in order to acclimatise players to Tau Ceti, it’s inviting everyone to play early, as part of a Server Slam.

If you’re not quite sure what to expect from the pre-release event, we’re going to answer all of your burning questions on this page, so let’s get to it.

What Is the Marathon Server Slam?

Marathon’s Server Slam is not a beta, but it’s not a demo either – honestly, it’s a bit of both.

Bungie’s hosting this test for two reasons: it wants to give players an opportunity to get their hands on the game, because that’s probably the best marketing it’s going to get – assuming it’s good, of course.

But it also wants to ensure its servers are ready for launch. By opening them up to everybody, for free, it can be fairly certain this is the biggest load the game’s going to face. That will enable it to test things and make adjustments accordingly, so that hopefully the launch experience is flawless.

What Time Will the Marathon Server Slam Start and End?

So, the Marathon Server Slam will start at the same time for everyone, regardless of where you are in the world: 10AM PT on 26th February.

If you’re not sure what time that is in your country, we’ve included a handy guide below:

  • North America: 10am PST / 11am MST / 12pm CST / 1pm EST
  • UK/Ire: 6pm GMT
  • Europe: 7pm CET / 8pm EET
  • Asia/Oceania: 3am (Fri) JST / 2am (Fri) AWST / 5am (Fri) AEDT

Assuming there are no disastrous issues, the Marathon Server Slam will remain online at all times until 10AM PT on 2nd March, so you’ll have the full weekend to play.

Again, if you’re not sure what time that is in your country, we’ve done all of the conversions for you below:

  • North America: 10am PST / 11am MST / 12pm CST / 1pm EST
  • UK/Ire: 6pm GMT
  • Europe: 7pm CET / 8pm EET
  • Asia/Oceania: 3am (Tue) JST / 2am (Tue) AWST / 5am (Tue) AEDT

Can You Pre-Load the Marathon Server Slam?

No, you can’t pre-load the Marathon Server Slam, so you’ll need to download it as soon as the servers open at the aforementioned time.

Do You Need PS Plus to Play the Marathon Server Slam?

You don’t need PS Plus or any other subscription to play the Marathon Server Slam. The test will be available to everyone.

What’s Included in the Marathon Server Slam?

Obviously, you’re not getting access to the full game in the Marathon Server Slam, as Bungie wants to hold back some content for 5th March.

You will be able to engage with the following content, though:

Two Zones
Perimeter and Dire Marsh
Five Factions
CyberAcme, NuCaloric, Traxus, MIDA, and Arachne
Five Runner Shells
Destroyer, Vandal, Recon, Assassin, and Triage (Rook also included)
Other Features
Solo Play, Multiplayer with Crew, Proximity Chat

Are There Any Rewards for Playing the Marathon Server Slam?

Yes, you will unlock rewards by playing the Marathon Server Slam which you’ll then be able to use in the full game, should you decide to purchase it.

The rewards are as follows:

Complete the Introductory Mission

  • Beta.exe emblem
  • Complex Study player background

Complete the First Mission

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

Reach Runner Level 10

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

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)
  • Deluxe Magnum and Enhanced Volley Rifle weapons
  • Enhanced Base backpack

Is the Marathon Server Slam Exclusive to PS5?

No, when Sony acquired Bungie it promised its software would remain multiformat. So, in addition to the PS5, you’ll also be able to play the Marathon Server Slam on both the PC and Xbox Series X|S, as originally intended.

Will you be playing the Marathon Server Slam at all? Do you have any other questions about the pre-release demo? Let us know below.