Bungie's Marathon Server Slam is a free, open preview weekend running from February 26 at 10 AM PT through March 2 at 10 AM PT on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Because the event doubles as a large-scale technical stress test, connection hiccups, login queues, and intermittent outages are expected throughout the weekend.
Quick answer: Marathon's Server Slam servers went live on February 26 at 10 AM PT and are currently online, though some players are encountering the "Currant" error code and long queue times. The servers will shut down on March 2 at 10 AM PT.
Current Marathon server status
As of the Server Slam's opening hours, Marathon servers are up and mostly stable. Players have reported sporadic disconnections and matchmaking failures — particularly the "Currant" and "Oregano" error codes, but widespread, prolonged outages have not occurred. Because this is explicitly a stress test, Bungie has warned that short-notice maintenance windows, emergency patches, and capacity-related queues are all on the table through March 2.
If you're stuck in a queue or getting booted, the issue is most likely server-side congestion rather than a problem with your hardware or internet connection. The massive influx of players trying a free preview weekend puts extraordinary pressure on Bungie's infrastructure, which is the entire point of the event.
Where to check Marathon server status in real time
Bungie maintains a dedicated server-status account on X (formerly Twitter) at @BNGServerStatus. That feed posts automated and manual updates whenever Marathon experiences downtime, degraded performance, or scheduled maintenance. It's the fastest official source for outage confirmations.
The main @MarathonTheGame account on X and the @MarathonDevTeam account on both X and Bluesky also relay status updates alongside gameplay news. Bungie's official Discord server is another place where the development team communicates about ongoing issues during the Server Slam window.
Server Slam schedule and end time
| Region | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| US Pacific | 10 AM PST, Feb 26 | 10 AM PST, Mar 2 |
| US Eastern | 1 PM EST, Feb 26 | 1 PM EST, Mar 2 |
| UK | 6 PM GMT, Feb 26 | 6 PM GMT, Mar 2 |
| Central Europe | 7 PM CET, Feb 26 | 7 PM CET, Mar 2 |
| Australia | 5 AM AEDT, Feb 27 | 5 AM AEDT, Mar 3 |
| New Zealand | 7 AM NZDT, Feb 27 | 7 AM NZDT, Mar 3 |
Once the Server Slam ends, Marathon's servers will go offline until the full game launches on March 5. No PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass subscription is required to participate in the Server Slam, though an active online subscription will be needed for the paid launch version on console.
Common connection errors during the Server Slam
The Currant error code has been the most widely reported issue since servers went live. It typically appears during peak-hour login attempts and is tied to server capacity limits rather than a client-side problem. Retrying after a short wait usually resolves it.
The Oregano error code has surfaced for players trying to queue into Rook, Marathon's scavenger experience. Failed matchmaking attempts with this error may indicate that the specific playlist's population is too low in your region at that moment, or that the matchmaking service is under strain.
Several PC-specific issues have also been flagged during the opening hours:
- Black textures on AMD GPUs — Bungie has acknowledged this bug. Rolling back GPU drivers using DDU may help temporarily.
- Mouse skipping or glitching — Disabling Discord Clips and other overlay software (such as Medal) has resolved the issue for some players. In Discord, go to User Settings → Clips and toggle off "Enable Clipping."
- Red error screen on launch — Kaspersky antivirus has been identified as a potential cause, consistent with issues in earlier playtests. Disabling it before launching Marathon may fix the problem.
- BSOD when launching with an audio interface connected — This appears related to Marathon's anti-cheat software conflicting with certain audio drivers. Unplugging the interface before launch is the only known workaround so far.
- Software agreement screen stuck on Steam — Closing Discord entirely before launching Marathon has resolved this for affected players.
Why Marathon servers go down
Bungie has been transparent that the Server Slam exists to break things. The studio's global infrastructure is being tested at scale for the first time, and the data collected from crashes, queues, and disconnects feeds directly into stability improvements for the March 5 launch. Servers may go down for several reasons during the event:
Scheduled maintenance can happen on short notice. Bungie will announce these windows on its official channels before taking servers offline. Capacity overload is the most common cause of degraded performance — millions of players hitting a free preview simultaneously will strain even well-provisioned infrastructure. Emergency hotfixes may also force brief downtime if a critical bug or exploit is discovered mid-weekend. Finally, DDoS attacks or other malicious activity can cause unexpected outages, though Bungie has emphasized its dedicated-server authority model as a key anti-cheat and security measure.
What's playable during the Server Slam
The preview weekend offers a slice of Marathon's launch content. Two zones on Tau Ceti IV are available: Perimeter, an edge-site expansion on the colony's outskirts, and Dire Marsh, the colony's agricultural research hub. Early contracts for five factions — CyberAcme, NuCaloric, Traxus, MIDA, and Arachne — are accessible, along with early faction levels and upgrade trees.
Five of the six launch Runner shells are playable: Assassin, Destroyer, Recon, Triage, and Vandal, plus the free-loadout Rook shell. The sixth shell, Thief, is reserved for the full launch. Both solo and squad queues are active, with cross-play and cross-save enabled across all three platforms. Proximity chat is also live, allowing real-time diplomacy (or betrayal) with other players in the field.
Progression earned during the Server Slam does not carry over to the full game. However, completing milestones during the weekend banks loot rewards that will be delivered to your account on March 5. Completing the introductory mission unlocks an exclusive Beta.exe emblem and Complex Study player background. Reaching Runner Level 10 and Runner Level 30 unlocks progressively better Arrival Caches filled with weapons, implants, shell cores, and weapon chip mods.
Xbox-specific download issue
Some Xbox players have reported that the game tells them it "is not out yet" when trying to launch. The Server Slam is listed as a separate download from the base Marathon game on the Xbox Marketplace. Search for "Marathon Server Slam" in the Microsoft Store and download it as its own app — it won't appear as an update to a pre-ordered copy of the full game.
Marathon's Server Slam runs through March 2 at 10 AM PT. If you hit connection issues during the weekend, check Bungie's official status channels before troubleshooting on your end — odds are good the problem is on the server side, and patience (or a retry) is the fastest fix. The full game launches on March 5, and the stability data Bungie collects this weekend should translate directly into a smoother day-one experience.