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4h ago

Marathon Server Slam Draws 143,000 on Steam as Bungie Stress-Tests for Launch

The free, cross-play preview runs through March 2 with a limited content slice and carryover rewards, and the studio is triaging issues and feedback during the live test.

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

  • Steam charts recorded a day-one peak of about 143,621 concurrent players, with additional participation on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S not reflected in that figure.
  • Players encountered login queues and some installation or connection errors, which Bungie had flagged as likely during the stress test and may address with maintenance.
  • The event is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S with cross-play and cross-save enabled, and there is no preload for the preview.
  • Test content includes the Perimeter and Dire Marsh zones, contracts for five factions, five of six Runner shells plus Rook, and progression-based rewards that will be granted at launch.
  • A chat filter bug that censored the phrase “ARC Raiders” was patched by the development team, which is also gathering feedback on UI and onboarding as players praise gunplay but report confusion and sparse encounters.