I hit refresh and the Bungie countdown blinked stubbornly: three minutes until the gates. Around me, stream chat already hummed with guesses, bets and nervous laughs. By the time the clock dropped, the chat had the tone of a stadium preparing for a final play.
I’ve tracked early-access rollouts before, and here’s the straight version: Marathon’s Server Slam is the warm, chaotic rehearsal for a game that expects to be everywhere the week after release. You’ll get a taste of Bungie’s cyberpunk extraction shooter design, test weapons and build instincts — and collect rewards that don’t carry full progression but still matter for bragging rights and cosmetics. Read this and you’ll know when to be online, what you can earn, and how to get the most from a few concentrated hours of play.
Queues form at synchronized launches — What Time Does Marathon Server Slam Start on PC, Xbox, and PS5?
The Server Slam opens at a single universal moment so every platform flips the switch together.
Bungie drops the Marathon Server Slam on February 26, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. Because it’s global, your local clock changes the date for some regions — here are the rounded regional kickoff times so you’ll be ready when the servers take the first breath:
| Region | Release Time |
| US Pacific (PT) | 10:00 AM |
| US Mountain (MT) | 11:00 AM |
| US Central (CT) | 12:00 PM |
| US East (ET) | 1:00 PM |
| UK (GMT) | 6:00 PM |
| Europe (CET) | 7:00 PM |
| African Time (WAT/CAT/EAT) | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM |
| Middle East (GST) | 10:00 PM |
| India (IST) | 11:30 PM |
| China (CST) | 2:00 AM (February 27) |
| Japan (JST) | 3:00 AM (February 27) |
| Australia (AEST) | 5:00 AM (February 27) |
| New Zealand (NZST) | 7:00 AM (February 27) |
The Server Slam window runs until March 2, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET, and Marathon’s full release follows on March 5, 2026. If you play on PC, you’ll find the client through Bungie’s launcher or on Steam; Xbox and PlayStation players can pre-download through the Microsoft Store and PlayStation Store respectively when Bungie opens preloads.
People circle calendars and chat rooms — Marathon Server Slam countdown and what to expect
If you’re watching a countdown, treat the first hour as a stress test of matchmaking and servers.
I recommend logging in early to download patches and set your controls. Server slams attract surge traffic; queues and matchmaking delays are likely in the opening hours. The short window means you should plan blocks of play: focus on a few matches, test a weapon or two, and save the experiments with class builds for later.
What time does the Marathon Server Slam start?
It begins globally on February 26, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET. Convert that to your time zone with a world clock or within your platform’s store page; Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation will show local times once the event appears on their storefronts.
How long does the Server Slam last?
The test closes on March 2, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET. That gives a tight four-day stress window where Bungie will monitor servers, collect telemetry, and patch critical issues before the March 5 launch.
People chatter about cosmetics — What rewards can I earn in the Marathon Server Slam?
Even when progression won’t carry, players still fight for transient gains and permanent flair.
Bungie offers Arrival Caches for participants. They won’t transfer character levels or raw loot into the final release, but the cosmetic rewards are persistent and visible in your profile. Here’s what you get:
- Unique Emblem and Player Background — complete the Introductory Mission.
- Standard Arrival Cache — complete the first mission.
- Enhanced Arrival Cache — reach Runner Level 10.
- Deluxe Arrival Cache — reach Runner Level 30.
These items show up on Bungie.net and across Xbox/PlayStation accounts as synced cosmetics. If you’re chasing exclusive visuals, grinding to Runner Level 30 during the Server Slam is the fastest path.
Traffic spikes and patch notes are public — Practical tips from someone who watches launches
Speed matters more than perfection in short betas.
Bring a plan: pick a primary weapon, one alternate, and a single mobility build to test. Use the in-game settings to bind communication and map quick-keys before you queue. Keep an eye on Bungie’s official channels — their Twitter/X, the Marathon section on Bungie.net, and the Steam/console store pages — for live updates and hotfix notes. If you stream, mark your overlay with the regional start time to catch different audience peaks.
Industry tools and platforms that matter
Launch-readiness lives on a handful of platforms you already know.
Use Steam, Xbox Store, PlayStation Store, the Bungie launcher, and Discord communities to coordinate squads and downloads. For timing and timezone conversion I use built-in OS clocks and Google’s world clock — your phone’s calendar will also let you add the kickoff in local time so you don’t miss the initial wave.
The launch is a starting pistol that shatters the quiet. The Server Slam is a neon atlas guiding runners through the map. Will you be racing for the Deluxe Arrival Cache on day one, or testing builds and letting others crowd the headlines?