How to get into Cryo Archive in Marathon

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Marathon's endgame Cryo Archive map isn't playable yet, but there are some strict requirements to meet

Marathon launch trailer screenshot Recon runner reloading a gun
(Image credit: Bungie)

The Marathon Cryo Archive endgame map is technically in the game, but no one can play it just yet because of an ongoing community puzzle. It seems like the map will be playable for everyone once this Marathon puzzle has been solved, but I can't be sure on that, so only time will tell. However, Bungie has shared the requirements that you must meet to even play Cryo Archive, so here's everything we know about accessing the Cryo Archive map, and I'll be sure to update this once the puzzle has been solved.

Marathon Cryo Archive requirements

Marathon loadout value on loadout menu

(Image credit: Bungie)

The endgame, raid-like Cryo Archive map will be a serious challenge, so there are some hefty restrictions in place to ensure you're at least somewhat ready to face the horrors aboard the derelict UESC Marathon. Bungie has shared that you must meet the following requirements to play on Cryo Archive, when it becomes available:

  • You must be at least Season Level 25.
  • You must have all Marathon factions unlocked. That just means you need to have completed their respective "Introducing…" liaison contract, such as Marathon Introducing Sekiguchi.
  • Your current loadout must be worth at least 5,000 Credits. Your loadout's value is the total value of all your equipped gear and it's displayed above all your gear in the Loadout menu. Weapons, especially rare ones with high-rarity attachments are worth a lot, so you'll want to pack your best possible gear.

If you don't meet all three of the above requirements, you won't be able to play on Cryo Archive, with that 5K loadout value restriction likely being the deciding factor for many players. If you die in Cryo Archive, the chances of you having enough gear, and of a high enough value, to keep running it in unlikely, so you'll have to complete runs on the other Marathon maps to build up your vault once again.

Although, as mentioned, Cryo Archive is not currently playable in Marathon, so nobody can play it at all right now. There is a community augmented reality (ARG) puzzle that must be solved first – if you would like to keep up with it, check out the MarathonSecrets subreddit megathread here! Given that Cryo Archive was announced to go live two weeks after launch, it's likely that the map will be available on March 19, but it could be sooner or later depending on how this puzzle-solving effort goes.

Marathon tipsbest Marathon faction upgradesMarathon Cutthroat CompetitionMarathon Equitable DistributionMarathon ParasitismMarathon Schema

Marathon tips: Survive on Tau Ceti
best Marathon faction upgrades: Get the best help
Marathon Cutthroat Competition: First Traxus job
Marathon Equitable Distribution: Traxus vs the UESC
Marathon Parasitism: SekGen experiments
Marathon Schema: More options for your Armory

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Will Sawyer
Will Sawyer
Guides Editor, GamesRadar+

Will Sawyer is a Guides Editor at GamesRadar+ with over five years of experience in writing online guides, news, and features, and has a BA (Hons) in Journalism. Starting as a freelancer, Will contributed to startmenu and Game Rant before joining the GamesRadar+ team in August 2021. Since then, he has written hundreds of guides about a huge range of games, with shooters and action games being his areas of expertise. Outside of writing about games, Will hops between multiplayer shooters with friends, such as Darktide and Helldivers 2, and delves into whatever has been on his backlog for far too long. He also tries to get through his never-ending Warhammer pile of shame of grey Tyranids, Aeldari, and Chaos Space Marines.

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