From the moment of launch, Bungie's told us the game hasn't really reached its intended launch status without the inclusion of the Cryo Archive location. Tomorrow, we can all lay that to rest as those runners who've been putting in the miles will get their shot at glory tomorrow. Cryo Archive, the first end-game location aboard the UESC Marathon, will become available. Players excited for the upcoming competitive Ranked mode will be able to start chipping away at that beginning Saturday.
For our thoughts on the game as it launched, you can check out our review-in-progress here.
Check out the press release below:
Welcome to Cryo Archive
There is no silence in these ancient halls.
Marathon’s first end‑game zone, Cryo Archive, opens tomorrow.
After poring over terminals, chasing coordinates, and collectively working through Marathon’s latest ARG, the community have pried open the first door to the UESC Marathon.
The zone is aboard the abandoned UESC Marathon and focuses on high‑intensity PvPvE combat, Vault chases, and risky extractions. It features six wings full of cryopods, medical bays, and storage areas, plus seven high‑security Vaults that offer top‑tier loot and unique weapons. Players must be Level 25, have all factions unlocked, and equip at least a 5,000 credit loadout.
There are also unique Codex rewards for players to earn for Cryo Archive progress, including styles (skins) for all six Runner shells, the Vidmaster title, and more.
More info on the Cryo Archive zone is available here.
Ranked in Marathon
This Saturday, Marathon will introduce a new way to play: Ranked. This mode puts survival skills to the test and allows players to climb the competitive ladder, proving they’re the top Runner on Tau Ceti IV.
Ranked offers two matchmaking pools, Low Stakes and High Stakes, each with different gear ante and Holotag requirements. Holotags are central to progression: they set score targets, unlock overperformance capacity when looted from enemies, and can be purchased or found during matches. Additional mechanics like Tag Chips, loot caps, and crew-based scoring add depth to each run.
Season 1 Ranked rewards include gun styles (skins), titles, Destroyer Runner shell style (skin), and more based on the highest rank achieved during the season.
Read the blog post to dive deeper into scoring details and how Bungie plans to meaningfully update the mode based on player feedback.
Are you all leveled and geared up for some time in the Cryo Archive? Will you be getting aggressive with Ranked Mode? Let us know in the comments, and keep your eyes peeled for the final score of our Marathon review soon!
