Marathon: Beginner's Guide

This guide covers the basics from published sources (Wikipedia and Bungie's launch coverage). It avoids numbers that could change with each season.

Getting Started: Extraction Basics

Each match follows the same loop: deploy, loot and exfiltrate. If you fail to exfil, you lose the items you gathered; items from a successful exfil carry over to your stash. You can queue solo or in a three-player squad.

Core Mechanics to Master

Marathon is mainly PvP, but AI enemies and hazards are also present, so loot carefully. Progress through six factions' contracts, reputation and upgrade trees. Seasons last about three months and reset progress except faction progress, the Codex and cosmetics.

Choosing a Runner Shell

Runners use shells. Beebom lists these shells: Destroyer (tank), Assassin (stealth), Recon (intel), Vandal (mobility), Triage (medic), Thief (loot) and Rook (scavenger); Sentinel was added in Season 2. There is no Scout/Combat/Support role system. Rook is dropped solo into matches in progress and cannot progress faction contracts.

Essential Tips & Tricks

1. Know your exfil route before engaging fights.
2. Don't over-carry: items from a failed run are lost.
3. Use contracts to build faction progress, which survives season resets.
4. Try different shells: all players access all shells.

First Major Boss

Marathon is a PvP extraction shooter and has no traditional first boss. The main threats are other Runners, AI enemies and hazards in each zone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Marathon free to play?

No. It is a premium game priced at $39.99 on PS5, Windows and Xbox Series X|S. Bungie says all players access all maps and shells, and the premium currency Lux is used for cosmetics.

Is there a solo mode?

Yes. Matches support solos and three-player squads, and from Season 2 duos on one rotating map daily.

Does it have cross-play?

Yes, cross-platform play and cross-save are fully supported.

Is it connected to the original Marathon?

It is set 99 years after the 1994 game, on Tau Ceti IV, and features the rogue AI Durandal.