When does Marathon's Server Slam take place?

The open trial window and how it fits the launch plan

Bungie is staging a public test weekend for its new extraction shooter as a final large-scale preview before full release. The event — billed as a "Server Slam" — lets anyone try the game for free during a late-February open weekend and runs into the official global launch in early March.

Key points

• The Server Slam opens near the end of February (the open preview weekend starts February 26) and acts as a public stress test and marketing lead-in.
• Marathon’s global release was reaffirmed for March 5, so the Server Slam funnels directly into launch-day activity.
• Bungie framed the test as free to try. The studio has also said there will be special perks tied to some platforms and partners — for example, PS Plus members will receive particular in‑game bonuses during the preview.

Why Bungie is doing this now

The Server Slam is intended to validate large-scale matchmaking, server stability and the game’s cross‑platform systems under real-world load. Marathon has already had public tests and delays, so this full open weekend gives the developer a chance to monitor live behaviour at scale, gather data, and patch issues before the wider player base arrives on March 5.

What players should expect

• A limited free trial window accessible to anyone during the weekend.
• Rewards and tests that feed into launch readiness.
• Ongoing refinement: Bungie has signalled it will use the event to tune balance, matchmaking and server-side systems ahead of the full release.