Marathon Server Slam FINAL HOURS: Closes Today at 1 p.m. ET — Full Launch March 5
This is your last warning. The Bungie Marathon Server Slam is in its final hours right now, Sunday, March 1, 2026. The Marathon Server Slam ends today, March 2 at 10:00 AM PT — which is 1:00 PM ET. Players in the eastern United States have until 1:00 PM ET today to complete the event and secure all available rewards before the servers close. If you have not downloaded it yet, you are cutting it very close. Marathon's full global launch is just four days away on March 5.
Marathon Server Slam End Time — Final Countdown
The Marathon Server Slam runs February 26, 2026 at 10 AM PT to March 2, 2026 at 10 AM PT. Converted to every major time zone, the final cutoff is as follows:
| Time Zone | Server Slam End Time |
|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 1:00 p.m. today, March 2 |
| Central (CT) | 12:00 p.m. today, March 2 |
| Mountain (MT) | 11:00 a.m. today, March 2 |
| Pacific (PT) | 10:00 a.m. today, March 2 |
| UK (GMT) | 6:00 p.m. today, March 2 |
| Sydney (AEDT) | 5:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 |
How to Download Marathon Server Slam Right Now
On PS5, Xbox Series X|S, or Steam, search for "Marathon Server Slam" in your platform's store and select the free open preview client — not the full game listing. No PS Plus membership and no Xbox Game Pass subscription is required to participate for the duration of the Server Slam window. The Server Slam is also part of Xbox's Free Play Days and Steam Next Fest. Download, log in with your Bungie.net account, and jump in immediately — you may have only a couple of hours left depending on your time zone.
What Is Marathon? Bungie's New Extraction Shooter Explained
Marathon is the upcoming survival extraction FPS from Bungie, the studio behind Halo and Destiny. In Marathon, you scavenge the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV as a bio-cybernetic Runner. Play with your crew, as a solo Runner, or form uneasy alliances with proximity chat as you take on hostile security forces, rival Runners, and unpredictable environments. The Server Slam has exposed the game's biggest immediate criticism — poor UI design that confuses players about where they are and what they're looking at. Bungie has said every bug and every crash is useful data heading into launch.
What Content Is in the Marathon Server Slam Beta
The Server Slam build includes two zones — the Dire Marsh and Perimeter — five factions with early contracts, five Runner shells plus Rook, and key systems including cross-play, cross-save, and proximity chat. Additional maps, factions, contracts, gear, and more will arrive at full launch and during Season 1. The full experience is a deliberately limited slice — enough to understand the extraction loop and learn the map flow, not enough to spoil the launch.
Rewards You Can Still Earn Before Servers Close
Complete your first mission to unlock the Standard Arrival Cache. Reach Runner Level 10 for the Enhanced Arrival Cache. Reach Runner Level 30 for the Deluxe Arrival Cache. All three Arrival Caches are packed with implants, cores, mods, weapons, and a backpack — all delivered to your in-game mailbox when Marathon launches on March 5. You also earn a unique emblem and player banner just for participating.
Twitch Drops are also available — link your Bungie.net and Twitch accounts and watch any Marathon stream during the event window to earn cosmetic drops tied to one to four hours of watch time. PlayStation Plus members receive three bonus weapon charms paying homage to Helldivers 2, Death Stranding 2, and Ghost of Yōtei, redeemable via the PlayStation Plus Exclusive Packs page at launch. Marathon's full release date is March 5, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Get in before 1 p.m. ET today.
