Marathon vs. Arc Raiders is a feud that shouldn't be happening

The video game industry isn’t short of warring fanbases: PlayStation vs. Xbox, Call of Duty vs. Battlefield, Overwatch vs. Marvel Rivals, the list goes on. Marathon vs. Arc Raiders is the latest rivalry, with rabid fans of one having complete disdain for the other — or at least that’s what the vocal lot on social media would have you believe. On paper, the comparisons make sense: They’re both multiplayer extraction shooters, and in theory, they’re competing for the attention of the same group of players. Right?

You’d be forgiven for thinking so, but there are a staggering number of differences, to the point where the extraction element is one of few similarities. Even then, the specific mechanics there are quite distinctive. So if you’re an Arc Raiders player and you’re wondering whether Marathon will be for you, or vice versa, or maybe you’re yet to take a leap of faith and try one of them, here’s where they differ, both for better and for worse.

Image: Embark Studios via Polygon

Firstly, both games are hard as nails right out of the gate. Even now, with 120+ hours played, I still recall my first ever visit topside in Arc Raiders: I spawned at the foot of an apartment building, walked down a slope, then was promptly blown to smithereens by a huge flying robot. Turns out that was a Rocketeer, and they’re absolutely lethal if you don’t know how to deal with them. Now though? A Rocketeer is light work, because I’ve both the knowledge and the equipment in my stash to take them out before they’ve had the chance to get a shot off.

Since Marathon only came out last week, I’ve spent much less time in it — 15 hours at the time of writing — but I can’t foresee the same thing happening. Even Recruits, the most basic of UESC bots, can overwhelm you if you’re not well-prepared. Going up against a Commander or Ghost can prove lethal when playing solo, because they’re fast, accurate, and rarely operate alone. With a new type of enemy rumored to be on the horizon when the community makes it to the Cryo Archive, I get the feeling even the best gear won’t be enough if you don’t strategize and play smart.

The result? Once you’re well-acquainted with its mechanics and maps, Arc Raiders feels like a casual jaunt. The aggression-based matchmaking means my lobbies are almost always friendly, with players banding together to take down Arc foes, having a jolly old time in proximity chat. Boss enemies like the Queen and Matriarch exist if I fancy a proper challenge.

The player in Marathon aiming down the sights of their gun at a UESC Commander.

On the other hand, Marathon is intentionally hostile and unforgiving. I’ve had two friendly encounters so far: one player helped me take down a Commander for the “Introducing: Traxus” quest, while another simply allowed me to exfil alongside them without shots being exchanged. Aside from that, I think I’ve killed — and been killed by — more players in Marathon already than I have in my entire time with Arc Raiders. It is, by and large, a shoot-on-sight ethos.

That collective mindset works in Marathon’s favor: when it comes to pure shooting mechanics, it’s one of the best FPS games out there. I said as much after playing in the pre-launch server slam, but it’s evident this is from the team behind the best Halo games and the Destiny series, which are both esteemed for their responsive, crisp, and satisfying gunplay. The DNA is plain to see.

Arc Raiders has its moments of tension, there’s no doubt about that — Stella Montis at night is only for the brave — but Marathon often feels like a true horror game. Both the visual and sound design in each game is phenomenal, but in different ways. Arc Raiders feels epic: colossal robots, wicked explosions, and gorgeous vistas, with fire, smoke, and gunshots visible across the open terrain.

The player in Arc Raiders crouching in a corridor in Stella Montis.

Marathon, on the other hand, is much tighter: smaller maps and winding corridors, raindrops slithering down your visor, and the sound of clanking footsteps surrounding you. Trying to sneak through Hauler on Perimeter is akin to avoiding a Xenomorph on the Nostromo. The shriek you’ll let out when you turn a corner into a Recruit gliding in this eerie, silent manner, illuminated by the ominous red glow of low-power lights overhead, isn’t a far cry from the sound I made playing Alien: Isolation way back when.

The two share a gameplay loop of loading in, trying to survive while looking for the best loot possible, then getting the heck outta dodge with your skin intact, but that’s about it. Even that works slightly differently, because Arc Raiders’ extraction points are permanent, whereas in Marathon, they’re one-use only. Once someone in your match has exfiltrated, it disappears, and you need to wait for a new one to appear.

The player in Marathon crouching in Hauler with two UESC Recruits in front.

Your loot is also temporary in Marathon. Each season works on a three-month cycle, at the end of which, all of your progress will be wiped.

That includes your entire inventory. On the plus side, it serves to eliminate “gear fear”; you may as well use your cool stuff if you can’t hoard it forever, waiting for the non-existent perfect time to equip it. The downside? Players are much likelier to drop off after a season finishes and not return, knowing they have to start from scratch all over again. However, Arc Raiders is the anomaly here; other extraction shooters, such as Escape From Tarkov, follow a similar mandatory wipe system as Marathon.

Arc Raiders does have a similar mechanic in the form of expeditions, but the key difference is that they’re optional. Embarking on an expedition also offers permanent rewards and upgrades, including a bigger stash. That’s tied to another mechanic both games share: permanent inventory space is incredibly limited, so working out what’s actually valuable and what you can get rid of is a key part of the game. Sometimes, though, you just want to visit Tau Ceti or embark topside and shoot your guns, rather than filter through your inventory for 10 minutes first.

The player in Marathon standing on the Outpost map looking up at the sky.

Both games are excellent, and there is no wrong choice here. I’d go as far as to say they’re two of the best multiplayer games I’ve played in years, and trying to balance both alongside work and a social life, not to mention other games I’d like to play, is going to be difficult. If you’re playing solo, Arc Raiders is probably the better pick, because you’ve a much higher chance of befriending folk in-game, and overall, it’s a much more forgiving time for solo players.

Playing Marathon solo versus in a trio feels like an entirely different game though. Alone, it’s all about laying low, getting loot, and playing stealthily while avoiding the UESC, while with two allies, it encourages tactical, team-based fights, and PvE foes are much easier to defeat. Both Arc Raiders and Marathon can exist in perfect harmony, though, and don’t write off the latter just because it has a harder shell to crack.