{"id":1762185,"date":"2026-02-12T23:12:53","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T20:12:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1762185"},"modified":"2026-02-12T23:12:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T20:12:53","slug":"the-time-has-come-for-you-to-judge-marathon-for-yourself-again-theres-a-new-server-slam-running-late-feb-into-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1762185","title":{"rendered":"The time has come for you to judge Marathon for yourself (again): there&#8217;s a new &#8216;server slam&#8217; running late Feb into March"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/marathon\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Marathon<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">The time has come for you to judge Marathon for yourself (again): there&#8217;s a new &#8216;server slam&#8217; running late Feb into March<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Not a sprint.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/Marathon-encounter.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Marathon - PvP encounter\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"Marathon-encounter.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Bungie<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Dom Peppiatt avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/pxl_20220402_110941365.portrait_V04meYj.jpg?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"1044\" height=\"1130\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Dom Peppiatt avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"pxl_20220402_110941365.portrait_V04meYj.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"1044\" height=\"1130\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/dom-peppiatt\">Dom Peppiatt<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Deputy Editorial Director<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"updated_at\">\nUpdated on <time datetime=\"2026-02-12T23:12:53+00:00\">Feb. 12, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"d837b65d-6d00-4904-b03b-3b773ebabe1f\" data-name=\"Marathon\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Marathon\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Marathon\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Marathon\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Marathon\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Marathon\" title=\"Follow Marathon\"><br \/>\n  Follow Marathon<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Marathon is almost here, at long last. It&#8217;s been a bumpy journey to get here, but the finish goal is finally in sight for Bungie. To celebrate the incoming launch, the developer has announced it will be hosting a Server Slam <strong>coming 26th February 26 and running until 2nd March<\/strong>. Which, for my money, is perilously close to the official release on 5th March.\n<\/p>\n<p>Per a post on the PlayStation Blog, the weekend will feature an &#8220;introduction to Marathon&#8217;s gameplay, with additional maps, factions, contracts, and more to come at launch and during Season 1.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>Bungie also shared a first look at some special rewards for PlayStation Plus players: a trio of weapon charms paying homage to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/helldivers-2\">Helldivers 2<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/death-stranding-2\">Death Stranding 2<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/ghost-of-yotei\">Ghost of Y\u014dtei<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<p>These include: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ghost of Y\u014dtei \u2013 Onry\u014d Weapon Charm <\/li>\n<li>Death Stranding 2 \u2013 Battle Guitar Weapon Charm<\/li>\n<li>Helldivers 2 \u2013 For Freedom Weapon Charm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This, of course, isn&#8217;t the first time Marathon has poked its head above the proverbial parapet to see what the general public thinks of the game. And, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/bungie-finally-shows-off-marathon-heres-everything-you-need-to-know\">after its first public test<\/a>, players were torn on certain design decisions made to the game, with a lack of solo queue or proximity chat standing out as especially jarring absences. Then, of course, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/bungie-admits-marathon-includes-artwork-used-without-permission\">there was that plagiarism scandal<\/a>, with many of its visual assets seemingly based on an outside-artists&#8217; work.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>So it&#8217;s not been an easy ride for the game, or Bungie, or Sony (who is backing the project). But changes in commuication, development process and design choice have all been enacted in the studio over the past couple of months, so maybe the final product will be something that stands out from the narrative around the game to date. We will have to wait and see.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever happens, it&#8217;s highly likely that the success of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/arc-raiders\">Arc Raiders<\/a> has built some solid foundations for an extraction shooter targetting the mainstream&#8230; but can Bungie&#8217;s latest gamble eat into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/arc-raiders-had-nearly-1000000-concurrent-players-last-month-and-thats-on-pc-alone\">Embark&#8217;s huge market share<\/a>? We&#8217;ll find out in March.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Marathon is almost here, at long last. It&#8217;s been a bumpy journey to get here, but the finish goal is finally in sight for Bungie. To celebrate the incoming launch, the developer has announced it will be hosting a Server Slam <strong>coming 26th February 26 and running until 2nd March<\/strong>. Which, for my money, is perilously close to the official release on 5th March.\n<\/p>\n<p>Per a post on the PlayStation Blog, the weekend will feature an &#8220;introduction to Marathon&#8217;s gameplay, with additional maps, factions, contracts, and more to come at launch and during Season 1.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>Bungie also shared a first look at some special rewards for PlayStation Plus players: a trio of weapon charms paying homage to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/helldivers-2\">Helldivers 2<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/death-stranding-2\">Death Stranding 2<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/ghost-of-yotei\">Ghost of Y\u014dtei<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<p>These include: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ghost of Y\u014dtei \u2013 Onry\u014d Weapon Charm <\/li>\n<li>Death Stranding 2 \u2013 Battle Guitar Weapon Charm<\/li>\n<li>Helldivers 2 \u2013 For Freedom Weapon Charm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This, of course, isn&#8217;t the first time Marathon has poked its head above the proverbial parapet to see what the general public thinks of the game. And, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/bungie-finally-shows-off-marathon-heres-everything-you-need-to-know\">after its first public test<\/a>, players were torn on certain design decisions made to the game, with a lack of solo queue or proximity chat standing out as especially jarring absences. Then, of course, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/bungie-admits-marathon-includes-artwork-used-without-permission\">there was that plagiarism scandal<\/a>, with many of its visual assets seemingly based on an outside-artists&#8217; work.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"injection_placeholder\" data-position=\"1\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p>So it&#8217;s not been an easy ride for the game, or Bungie, or Sony (who is backing the project). But changes in commuication, development process and design choice have all been enacted in the studio over the past couple of months, so maybe the final product will be something that stands out from the narrative around the game to date. We will have to wait and see.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever happens, it&#8217;s highly likely that the success of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/arc-raiders\">Arc Raiders<\/a> has built some solid foundations for an extraction shooter targetting the mainstream&#8230; but can Bungie&#8217;s latest gamble eat into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/arc-raiders-had-nearly-1000000-concurrent-players-last-month-and-thats-on-pc-alone\">Embark&#8217;s huge market share<\/a>? We&#8217;ll find out in March.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Marathon The time has come for you to judge Marathon for yourself (again): there&#8217;s a new &#8216;server slam&#8217; running late Feb into March Not a sprint. Image credit: Bungie News by Dom Peppiatt Deputy Editorial Director Updated on Feb. 12, 2026 Follow Marathon Marathon is almost here, at long last. It&#8217;s been a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-1762185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1762185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1762185"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1762185\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1762185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1762185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1762185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}