Marathon is officially kicking off its Server Slam on February 26, giving players their first large-scale chance to jump into Bungie’s new survival extraction shooter before launch.
The open preview weekend runs from February 26 to March 2 on PlayStation 5 and other platforms, acting as a stress test ahead of the game’s full release on March 5. Bungie confirmed the dates during Sony’s State of Play presentation, where Marathon closed out the show with a prominent gameplay trailer and an expanded look at Tau Ceti IV.
Server Slam Dates And What You Can Play
The Marathon Server Slam begins February 26, 2026 at 10AM PT and ends March 2 at 10AM PT. Bungie is positioning it as a large-scale playtest rather than a traditional open beta, but functionally it gives players free access to a substantial slice of the game just one week before launch.
During the Server Slam, players will be able to infiltrate two zones:
- Perimeter
- Dire Marsh
Five faction contract lines will be available in their opening form, and all six Runner Shells can be tested, along with Rook in scavenger mode. Solo queue is supported, and proximity chat is enabled, allowing for uneasy alliances or immediate betrayals depending on how brave you’re feeling.
Bungie has also confirmed that the preview will support all of Marathon’s available languages worldwide.
A First Look At Tau Ceti IV
Marathon is set in the year 2893, centuries after the UESC Marathon colony ship left Mars for Tau Ceti in 2472. The 30,000 colonists who were meant to build a new future never responded back. Contact was lost.
Now, players step into the boots of bio-cybernetic mercenaries known as Runners. Funded by rival factions, they drop onto the hostile surface of Tau Ceti IV to scavenge, extract and survive. Security forces, competing Runners and unpredictable environments all stand in the way, while the derelict Marathon ship looms in orbit above.
The new gameplay trailer shown during State of Play highlighted fast-paced firefights, traversal tools, and the tension that comes with extraction-based objectives. Bungie is clearly leaning into high-risk, high-reward runs, where every deployment is a gamble.
PlayStation Plus Weapon Charms Revealed
Bungie also revealed PlayStation Plus-exclusive cosmetic rewards that will be redeemable once Marathon launches on March 5.
The trio of weapon charms pay homage to other PlayStation titles:
- Ghost of Yōtei – Onryō Weapon Charm
- Death Stranding 2 – Battle Guitar Weapon Charm
- Helldivers 2 – For Freedom Weapon Charm
These can be claimed by PlayStation Plus members via the PlayStation Plus Exclusive Packs page at launch.
Launch Date, Pre-Orders And Collector’s Edition
Marathon officially launches on March 5, 2026 and is available to pre-order now. The standard edition is priced at USD $40.
Pre-order bonuses include weapon cosmetics, an emblem, and a player background at launch. Bungie has also confirmed cross-rewards for Destiny 2 players who link their Bungie.net account.
For collectors, a premium Collector’s Edition is available featuring a 1/6-scale Thief Runner Shell statue, a miniature WEAVEworm collectible and packaging inspired by Sekiguchi Genetics’ shell-weaving process.
Season 1 will expand the game further with two additional zones, Outpost and Cryo Archive, along with full faction progression trees and a ranked mode.
A High-Stakes Moment For Bungie
The February 26 Server Slam lands just one week before release, making it a critical first impression moment. Large-scale free access will show not only how many players are willing to try Marathon, but how the wider community reacts once hands-on impressions start rolling in.
Bungie has been running internal playtests for months, reportedly with positive feedback, but this is the first time the broader public will get to stress test servers and gameplay systems simultaneously.
With Marathon positioned as Bungie’s next major live service release following its work on Halo and Destiny, the Server Slam weekend may well shape the conversation heading into launch.
If you’re curious about Tau Ceti IV, February 26 is when the doors open.