Bungie's new extraction shooter, Marathon, launched with three maps that players unlocked at different intervals. The first two maps, Perimeter and Dire Marsh, are available from the beginning of the game (alongside a beginner version of Perimeter, which simply allows fewer players to load in and is removed once you've progressed enough). The third map, Outpost, is available after you reach Season Level 12.
The fourth map and what Bungie has described as Marathon's initial "endgame" raid, Cryo Archive, hasn't been unlocked yet, as the community continues to work out the in-game puzzles to gain access. That said, the community has seemingly worked out the requirements players will have to meet if they want to jump into Cryo Archive when it arrives.
Thankfully, the requirements aren't too dire in the sense that they don't require you to individually participate in solving the puzzles in a lengthy step-by-step process. All you need to do to make sure you're ready for Cryo Archive is:
- Establish a connection with each faction
- Reach Season Level 25
The first point doesn't mean you have to complete all of the priority contracts a faction gives you - you just have to complete the first contract for each faction. So all of those contracts that say 'Introducing' followed by a faction's name, those are the ones you need to have done to establish a connection with each faction. If you've already done that, then you're already halfway to accessing Cryo Archive.
The second point is self-explanatory. Just like how Outpost wasn't unlocked until you hit Season Level 12, you'll need to be at least Season Level 25 to access Cryo Archive.
The Cryo Archive map is located on the UESC Marathon colony ship, and promises to be the biggest challenge in Marathon yet. It's also the only map that doesn't allow Rook runs, so you'll always have some of your gear at risk when attempting it.
Outside of it being the biggest challenge in Marathon so far, it will also be the biggest piece of the game's puzzling story so far. It'll also hopefully feature the game's first major boss, which, if it's anything like some of Bungie's best Destiny raids, should not disappoint.
For more on Marathon, check out our hub page for all of our news, interviews, and guides coverage. You can also check out my review-in-progress, which will be updated with a score after I've had the chance to play Cryo Archive, here.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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