Get a feel for the visual style and world of Tau Ceti IV before you play marathon server slam
The four-phase loop that defines every match in the marathon server slam
Understanding how to play Marathon Server Slam starts with its core extraction loop. Unlike traditional shooters, the marathon server slam does not have a winner determined by kill count or objective points. Your goal is to enter the map, acquire valuable loot from environmental caches and defeated enemies, and successfully escape through an extraction zone — all while managing the threat of other player squads also fighting for the same resources.
When you learn how to play Marathon Server Slam, the most important concept is the risk-reward continuum. Staying longer in the map exposes you to better loot and more kills, but every additional minute increases your chance of encountering a fully-geared squad that can wipe your team and take everything you have collected. The marathon server slam rewards players who read the situation and make smart calls about when to commit and when to extract.
Each match in the marathon server slam operates on a hard time limit. Players who do not extract before time runs out forfeit all the gear in their active rig. This makes the final minutes of every marathon server slam match particularly high-stakes.
Select your squad composition and drop zone. Land in a sector of the map where risk matches your team's readiness.
Search environmental caches, defeat AI enemies, and scavenge gear. Higher-risk areas contain rarer loot — but more rival activity.
Decide how to engage other Player squads. Fighting earns their loot but risks your run. Evading preserves your gear. This decision is central to how to play marathon server slam.
Navigate to an active extraction zone, call the extract, and defend it for a countdown timer. A successful extraction banks your loot.
How each of the five runner shells changes the way you play the marathon server slam
Best for players learning how to play Marathon Server Slam for the first time. No extreme weaknesses — strong across combat, looting, and extraction phases.
💡 Start with Rook until you understand map layouts and extraction timing.
Glitch excels at breaking enemy squad coordination during fights. Play Marathon Server Slam as Glitch when your squad wants to force engagements and punish coordinated teams.
💡 Pair with aggressive squadmates who can capitalize on disrupted enemies.
Void prioritizes avoidance and intel gathering. How to play marathon server slam with Void: move through high-value zones quietly, extract before conflict escalates.
💡 Ideal for solo-minded looting runs and avoiding late-match squad wipes.
Atrox is built for sustained, frontline firefights. Play Marathon Server Slam with Atrox when you want to actively hunt rival squads and dominate contested zones.
💡 Coordinate with a support runner. Atrox's aggressive style burns resources quickly.
Blackbird provides long-range intelligence and area control. How to play marathon server slam with Blackbird: hold elevated positions, call squad positions, and control extraction zones.
💡 Most effective on Dire Marsh. Pairs well with Void for passive extraction runs.
The most effective way to play Marathon Server Slam is with a balanced 3-runner team. Combining a tank (Atrox), a support (Blackbird), and a flex (Glitch/Void) maximizes extraction success rates across all map scenarios.
💡 Discuss runner picks before the drop — composition is a meta-level decision.
Follow these steps from lobby to successful extraction in every marathon server slam match
Before queuing for a match, visit your rig menu. Your rig is the loadout you carry into the map — weapons, armor, ability modules, and consumables. New players to the marathon server slam start with a basic rig. As you play more marathon server slam matches and collect loot, your rig options expand. Never take gear you cannot afford to lose into your first few matches.
At the start of each marathon server slam match, you select your team's drop point on the map overview screen. Hot zones near marked POIs and high-value cache clusters attract more rival squads. When learning how to play marathon server slam, choose quieter drop zones to get comfortable with core mechanics before entering contested areas.
The first 5–10 minutes of a marathon server slam match are critical for looting. Prioritize environmental caches marked by glowing indicators, defeat AI Cultist and AI Guardian enemies for baseline gear, and communicate with your squad about loot distribution. Learning how to play marathon server slam efficiently means knowing which item tiers are worth carrying vs. dropping.
Mid-match in the marathon server slam, you will begin to encounter other player squads. Before committing to a firefight, assess: how well-geared is your team versus theirs? Do you have a positional advantage? Would extracting now with what you have generate more value than risking a fight? This moment of tactical reasoning is the heart of how to play marathon server slam at a competitive level.
Extraction zones in the marathon server slam rotate and open on a timer. Check the map regularly to track which extraction zones are currently active. Plan your route so that you approach the zone from cover, not from an open sightline. Late-match extraction zones attract rival squads looking for easy kills on extracting teams — always expect opposition.
When your team reaches the extraction zone, one player initiates the extraction call. A countdown begins. During this window in the marathon server slam, your squad is at its most vulnerable — you cannot easily reposition. Hold the zone, cover all approach angles, and communicate enemy positions. Surviving the countdown is how to play marathon server slam and win the run.
After successfully extracting, check your faction contract progress in the post-match menu. The marathon server slam features five factions, each with daily and event-length objectives. Completing faction contracts is the primary method for earning marathon server slam exclusive cosmetic rewards that carry over to the full game at launch.
Map knowledge is the biggest competitive advantage when you play marathon server slam
Perimeter is the close-quarters map of the marathon server slam — a sprawling industrial complex with tight corridors, multi-level catwalks, and interior spaces that punish long-range runners. When you play marathon server slam on Perimeter, expect frequent squad encounters in mid-range.
Dire Marsh is the long-range engagement map of the marathon server slam — open sightlines across wetland terrain, elevated ridgelines, and environmental hazards that punish careless movement. When you play marathon server slam on Dire Marsh, patience and positioning matter more than raw aggression.
Proven tactics from the Server Slam to increase your extraction success rate
If you have collected strong loot and your team health is high, extracting early is often the highest EV play. Every additional minute you play marathon server slam increases rival squad encounter probability.
Always know the current active extraction zones before you need them. Squads that play marathon server slam without a pre-scouted extraction route consistently die running blind to the extract.
When an enemy squad member is downed during a marathon server slam fight, enemies will often bait you into exposing yourself while their squad flanks. Confirm from cover, then advance.
Squads that stay within support range of each other win significantly more marathon server slam runs. Tunnel vision on personal loot is the most common reason premade squads wipe to randoms.
When you play marathon server slam for the Server Slam event specifically, faction contract milestones yield exclusive carry-over rewards. A run with 0 kills and a completed contract is more valuable than a 5-kill wipe.
Extraction zones in the marathon server slam open and close on a rotation. Players who know the timing can pre-position at the next extraction zone before rivals engage — a massive positional advantage.
Contracts are the primary progression system across your marathon server slam sessions
Beyond individual match performance, the marathon server slam features a meta-progression system through five in-game factions. Each faction issues daily contracts and event-length milestone contracts to players who play marathon server slam during the event window.
Contracts range from extraction-based objectives (extract X times from a specific map) to combat objectives (defeat Y number of AI enemies or rival runners) to exploration tasks (visit specific map landmarks while playing marathon server slam).
Completing faction contracts during the marathon server slam unlocks exclusive cosmetic rewards — confirmed by Bungie to carry over to the full game at the March 5, 2026 launch. Use the faction contract board in the pregame lobby menu every time you log in to play marathon server slam.
Combat & Elimination Contracts
Reward: Weapon cosmetic skin
Exploration & Intel Contracts
Reward: Runner emblem
Extraction Success Contracts
Reward: Extraction marker effect
Loot Value Contracts
Reward: Rig appearance upgrade
Stealth & Evasion Contracts
Reward: Kill feed icon
Answers to the most common gameplay questions from new marathon server slam players
Now you know how to play Marathon Server Slam — extraction loops, runner picks, map strategies, and faction contracts. Download it free on your platform and drop in.