Marathon beginner guide: 10 essential tips for brutal runs

Extraction is the heart of Bungie’s Marathon, and it isn’t going anywhere. Game director Del Chafe said Sept. 30 that extraction “is still a major part of Marathon” and will keep getting updates, even as Bungie prepares new PvE and experimental PvP modes for its Symbiosis update in December, IGN reported.

If you’re jumping in now, this Marathon beginner guide covers what to know before your first run, drawing on tips from GamesRadar+ and Kotaku.

What is Marathon’s extraction mode?

Marathon is Bungie’s extraction shooter set on the lost colony world of Tau Ceti IV. You play as a Runner, a cybernetic mercenary in a robotic body called a shell. In each run, you complete objectives, gather loot and try to leave the map alive. If you die before you extract, you lose the gear you brought into that run. That risk is why any Marathon beginner guide starts with survival basics.

Every match mixes player-versus-player (PvP) fights, player-versus-environment (PvE) threats from UESC security robots and careful resource management.

Marathon beginner guide: 1. Get set up before your first run

Marathon launched March 5, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC at a $40 price, according to Hitmarker. Expect to struggle in your first several matches while you learn the maps and systems.

Headphones are a big help. Wearing them instead of using TV speakers makes it easier to hear and locate UESC patrols, according to GamesRadar+. A controller works fine, though many players prefer a mouse and keyboard for faster aiming.

2. Pick a Runner shell for your playstyle

Your shell is the biggest early choice in any Marathon beginner guide. Shells work like character classes. Rook is designed for low-stakes supply runs that build up your vault, because running him doesn’t put your loot at risk, GamesRadar+ reported. Rook also becomes more useful as you level factions and buy his capstone upgrades, according to Kotaku.

Assassin is another strong pick for solo players. His invisibility and smoke make it easier to slip past UESC patrols, according to GamesRadar+. Marathon is built around crews of up to three players, so teaming up adds firepower but also coordination. If you’re flying solo, start with Rook or Assassin.

3. Manage heat

Sprinting, sliding and other movement build up heat. Hit your limit and your Runner overheats, which locks you out of those actions for a while, a deadly problem in a firefight, GamesRadar+ reported.

Crouching cools you faster, and water and rain slow heat buildup, according to Kotaku. Crouching in water cools you down quickly. Save sprints for when you really need them. Crouch-walking more often also keeps you quieter.

4. Listen and stay stealthy

Footsteps, reloads, looting and doors all make noise, so use audio to track other players and robots while keeping your own noise down. A stealthy approach, with cover, crouch-walking and sprinting only when it’s safe, gives you the best chance to get out with your loot.

Your knife is quieter than a gun. GamesRadar+ recommends equipping it as a weapon by holding Triangle on PlayStation or Y on Xbox, because its slash attacks are much more powerful than a quick melee.

5. Save unstable materials

Here is a Marathon beginner guide rule worth repeating: Bring back Unstable Diodes and Unstable Biomass whenever you can. Kotaku reported they unlock useful upgrades, including bigger vaults, so hold on to them instead of selling them.

6. Complete ‘Introducing’ quests and contracts

Start with quests labeled “Introducing,” which unlock factions, according to Kotaku. From there, faction contracts are your main path to progress, and leveling factions opens up better gear, upgrades and new items. You can spend credits to reroll contracts that aren’t story contracts.

Each faction also hands out bonus XP for certain activities, which are listed on its agent screen. NuCaloric, for example, rewards picking plants, Kotaku reported, so you can work toward one faction while finishing another’s contract.

7. Expect fast, unforgiving PvP

No Marathon beginner guide can make you bulletproof. Time-to-kill in Marathon is surprisingly fast, even with a good shield, according to GamesRadar+. Other players may shoot on sight, and you’ll die a lot early on.

Don’t get attached to your gear. Treat each death as a lesson in where players camp, how to check corners safely and when to avoid a fight.

8. Use UESC robots and tools to your advantage

UESC robots are dangerous, and tougher types include invisible Ghosts and Grenadiers that fire volleys of grenades, GamesRadar+ reported. Signal Jammers hide you from enemy robots and turrets, and activating TADs, small antenna structures on the map, pings the area and reveals enemy players, according to Kotaku.

9. Master exfil

Exfil is the most important skill in this Marathon beginner guide. When you’re ready to leave, head to an exfil beacon. Using one starts a 10-second timer before you escape, GamesRadar+ reported. If the run timer hits zero, a final exfil activates, and you get one minute to reach it. The Cryo Archive has its own, very different extraction rules.

Make it out, and the loot you carried stays in your vault.

10. Keep learning as extraction evolves

Use this Marathon beginner guide as a starting point, because your first runs will feel chaotic. Stick with a solo-friendly shell, play stealthy and keep completing contracts. Watching experienced streamers handle UESC patrols and player fights can speed up the learning curve.

Extraction will keep changing. Bungie is moving away from seasons and plans to add the game’s first permanent PvE mode and an experimental Team Deathmatch mode in the Symbiosis update Dec. 8, according to GamingBolt. For more on Bungie, read about Destiny 2’s return, see how ARC Raiders is handling the same PvP debate, or browse our gaming guides.

Reporting from IGN, GamesRadar+ and Kotaku contributed to this story.