Marathon's Cryo Archive goes live Friday as a weekends-only "raid-style" PvPvE map: "So please, do scream"

Marathon's Cryo Archive finally goes live this Friday, and Bungie has at last provided some details on what to expect from the new endgame activity. The short version? It sure sounds like Marathon's equivalent to raids in Destiny, offering an absolutely brutal challenge to the FPS game's most hardcore players.

"Cryo Archive is the first deck of the UESC Marathon," Bungie explains in its announcement, "where you'll find a labyrinth of cryopods, medical bays, and storage wings where colonists once eased into and out of deep sleep on their journey across the stars."

What does that mean in game terms? Here's how the devs put it: "Cryo Archive takes you through six interconnected wings with a central hub. Traverse from wing-to-hub and back again in search of frozen Vaults containing powerful loot and dark secrets. Battle your way through intense UESC security, decked out Runner crews, and a ship that seems hellbent on keeping you out."

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Yes, this is definitively an endgame-level drop zone. Bungie describes this as "a high intensity, raid-style PvPvE activity" with a labyrinthine map and "brutal" stakes for extraction. The threatening aura coming off of the introductory trailer seems like no joke, and the final line really sets the tone: "So please, do scream."

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Cryo Archive will only be available on the weekends, and the first runs open up starting this Friday, March 20. "If you like structure with your suffering," a number of unique contracts will be available, which will reset each weekend.

Bungie has previously detailed the Marathon Cryo Archive requirements, but just in case you missed them, you'll need to reach Runner Level 25, have all six Marathon factions unlocked, and ante up with a loadout value of at least 5,000 credits. You don't have to risk your gear on the first run, however – a one-time Cryo Archive Sponsored Kit will be available to let you tour the map with lower stakes on your first attempt.

Bungie's been teasing Marathon's endgame content in characteristically cryptic fashion, challenging players to ARG puzzles and massive community kill goals in order to unlock Cryo Archive. Clearly, the devs are keen to make us scared of the map, and if the precedent of Destiny raids is anything to go by, these warnings definitely have some teeth.

Check out our guide to all the Marathon maps.