Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon goes live today, March 5, 2026, with servers opening at 10 AM PT across Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S simultaneously. Full cross-play and cross-save are supported across all three platforms. Console players will need an active online subscription to play.
Pre-Load and Install Size
Pre-loading opened on March 3 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on all platforms. Players with auto-download enabled should already have the game installed. Anyone who hasn't pre-loaded yet can grab it directly from their platform's store page.
Install sizes differ by platform, with PC requiring significantly more space than the others:
| Platform | File Size | Storage Needed |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 | 23.27 GB | 23.27 GB |
| Xbox Series X|S | 24.60 GB | 24.60 GB |
| Steam (PC) | 25.30 GB | ~52.00 GB |
PC requires roughly double the storage during installation because the files need to be decrypted after download. Once the process completes, the installed size drops back to the standard amount. Players tight on disk space should clear room before starting the download.
What's in the Launch Build
Server Slam veterans can't update from the beta. The launch build is a separate download entirely, available fresh from each platform's store.
The full game ships with content that wasn't available during the Server Slam:
- Full faction and contract progression
- All six factions, including Sekiguchi Genetics
- All six launch Runner shells, including Thief
- Three zones, including Outpost
- 28 weapons, plus mods, implants, and cores
- Earnable cosmetics, achievements, and Codex storytelling
Bungie has also pushed fixes informed by Server Slam feedback, including adjustments to PvP frequency on Perimeter (Beginner). More changes are described as forthcoming.
Content Rolling Out After Launch
Not everything unlocks on day one. Bungie has staggered several features across the weeks following launch.
Outpost opens the day after launch, on March 6, and requires Runner Level 12 to access. Bungie describes it as one of Marathon's more dangerous zones. The delayed unlock is deliberate, giving players time to gear up before heading in.
Ranked mode goes live in the second half of March.
Cryo Archive also unlocks in the second half of March, once players progress far enough to open the way into orbit.
Server Slam Rewards
Server Slam participants will receive cosmetic rewards and Arrival Caches on launch day, but delivery is staggered throughout the day rather than instant. Rewards land in in-game Mailboxes over time, so players who don't see anything right away should wait it out.
Twitch Drops
Server Slam Drops
Server Slam drops earned during the beta period will be granted to Bungie.net profiles and delivered in-game at launch on March 5. The Twitch Sponsored Kit may take up to 48 hours to appear in Mailboxes and must be redeemed by March 31.
Launch Weekend Drops
Launch weekend drops run from March 5 at 10 AM PT through March 9 at 10 AM PT. To earn rewards, players need to link their Bungie.net account to Twitch, watch streams in the Marathon directory with Drops enabled, and claim each item from their Twitch Inventory before logging into the game. Six rewards are up for grabs:
- Weapon Sticker: Smol K.i.t.t.y. (subscribe or gift a subscription to a creator playing Marathon)
- Twitch Sponsored Kit (standard in-game loot, watch for 1 hour)
- Profile Emblem: Pink Graffiti Bingus (watch for 1 hour)
- Profile Background: Pink Graffiti Bingus (watch for 2 hours)
- Weapon Sticker: Pink Graffiti Bingus (watch for 3 hours)
- Weapon Skin (Style): White and Purple, Ballistic Sniper (watch for 4 hours)
Tau Ceti Cup
A second drop event, the Tau Ceti Cup, is set for March 14. Creator teams will compete for the title of best Runners on Tau Ceti, with a new set of Twitch Drops attached. Bungie hasn't released full details yet.
Platform-Exclusive Weapon Charms
Each platform comes with its own weapon charms. Steam and Xbox players receive theirs automatically on first login.
- Steam: Crowbar
- Xbox: Emerald Clutch and Emerald Catch
- PlayStation: For Freedom, Battle Guitar, and Onryo - these require a manual claim from the PlayStation Store after Marathon releases on March 5.
Server Status and Support
Bungie has flagged that brief queues or updates may happen at launch given the traffic. Server status updates will be posted to the BungieServerStatus accounts on Twitter and Bluesky, and in the official Marathon Discord.
Players running into technical issues, reward problems, or account linking errors can head to the Marathon Help Center for troubleshooting and a known issues list. The MarathonDevTeam Twitter and the official Discord are also options for support.
Bungie has published a dedicated Seasons in Marathon post covering how the seasonal structure works, along with early teases for Season 2.
