Bungie announced yet another Marathon test during the February 2026 PlayStation State of Play. But this time, it’s one everybody can take part in. The Marathon “Server Slam” weekend (read: open beta weekend) runs from Feb. 26 through March 2 on PlayStation 5 and “other platforms” ahead of the game’s March 5 launch. Turns out the last weeks ’til launch are more of a sprint, huh.
Anyway, the Marathon beta will include:
- Infiltrate into two zones:
- Take on the opening contracts for five of Marathon’s factions
- Try out all six Runner Shells, plus Rook in scavenger mode
- Solo queue, proximity chat, “and more”
Bungie announced the beta alongside a new trailer showcasing Marathon‘s setting.
It’s been a rough old time for Marathon. Bungie intended to launch it in back September 2025, before delaying it indefinitely after negative feedback from an alpha test. “Indefinite” turned out to be “not that long, actually,” as Bungie started the new year with another release date announcement, which has (so far) stuck. Feedback from another closed test in October 2025, part of a series of tests Bungie ran to figure out how to fix Marathon‘s issues, was positive and things look like they’re running smoothly in the lead-up to its March launch.
However, Marathon‘s social clout still hasn’t quite recovered from the many blows it’s received since Bungie’s initial reveal. First, there were repeated comparisons to Firewalk’s ill-fated Concord, which might seem like nothing, except a lot of multiplayer games tarred with that brush met a similar fate. Then there were the accusations of plagiarism, as an artist said Bungie took material they created for a promotional poster and included it without change in Marathon. It wasn’t the first time Bungie faced such accusations and admitted wrongdoing. Then Bungie accidentally forced Destiny 2 onto anyone who pre-ordered Marathon on Steam (whoops).
Bungie will release Marathon on March 5 for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.
