ARC Raiders vs Marathon
Two extraction shooters from acclaimed studios — Embark's cleaner co-op versus Bungie's hardcore PvPvE grind.
Embark's prettiest and friendliest extraction shooter — ARC Raiders trades Tarkov's hardcore detail for cleaner combat and a real sci-fi world to fight over.
Marathon's punishing extraction loop and responsive devs make it a worthy Tarkov rival if you can handle the grind.
Steam popularity
Shared scale — sparklines are directly comparable across both games.
ARC Raiders
Apr 2026 peak CCU 154,498 ↓ 38% MoM
All-time peak 465,097
Marathon
Apr 2026 peak CCU 36,173 ↓ 53% MoM
Key differences
Extraction complexity
ARC Raiders trades Tarkov's hardcore detail for cleaner combat and a friendlier extraction loop.
Marathon retains Tarkov's punishing loop with shallow maps and high risk of spawn-rushing.
Gunplay style
Embark's signature weight and recoil from The Finals makes ARC Raiders' gunplay feel precise and punchy.
Bungie's Destiny 2 gunplay carries over, offering precise feel but with a punishing extraction penalty.
Team requirement
ARC Raiders expects a regular trio or duo for optimal play; solo is steeper than genre average.
Marathon similarly demands squads, but spawn-rushing makes solo especially punishing.
Which one is for you?
Pick ARC Raiders if
- You bounced off Escape from Tarkov's complexity but still want extraction tension.
- You love Embark's gunfeel from The Finals and want co-op objectives.
- You have a regular trio and prefer cleaner combat over hardcore PvP.
Pick Marathon if
- You crave precise Destiny 2 gunplay in an extraction setting.
- You enjoy high-stakes risk-reward like Tarkov and accept grinding.
- You value stylish sci-fi aesthetics and can tolerate losing gear to ambushes.
Bottom line
For most players, ARC Raiders' accessible design and co-op focus make it the better bet; Marathon is only for those who demand Bungie's precision gunplay and accept a harsh PvPvE loop.