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5d ago

Marathon Server Slam Tops 140,000 Concurrent Players on Steam as Pre‑Launch Test Rolls On

The free cross‑platform stress test runs through March 2 with limited content and carry‑over rewards to validate launch readiness.

Screenshot: Bungie
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Marathon Twitch Drops: Marathon: A low-angle shot of a group of Runners shooting Ticks leaping towards them inside a narrow corridor.
Screenshot: X @MarathonDevTeam

Overview

  • SteamDB recorded a peak of 143,621 concurrent players on day one, with login queues and storefront download glitches reported during the rush.
  • The preview is available at no cost on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S with cross-play and cross-save, and it does not require PS Plus or Game Pass for the test window.
  • The build offers a curated slice of content including the Perimeter and Dire Marsh zones, contracts from five factions, five Runner shells plus Rook, solo or crew play, and proximity chat.
  • A chat moderation bug that censored the phrase “ARC Raiders” was identified and patched the same day, with the Marathon dev team publicly confirming the fix.
  • Progression will reset after the event, but tiered Arrival Cache rewards and Twitch Drops earned during the Server Slam will be delivered when the game launches on March 5, and Bungie is actively collecting usability feedback including on UI concerns.