ARC Raiders vs Marathon
A generous 47-hour extraction shooter with 82% review backing versus a tighter 13-hour Bungie arena now at 8% of its launch audience — which commitment fits you?
Updated 15d ago
ARC Raiders' accessible extraction loop is worth it now, but cheaters and content droughts mean wait until the anti-cheat is fixed.
Bungie's gunfeel is the best thing in the extraction genre — but cheating, disconnects and a thinning playerbase mean it's worth playing only with a squad you trust.
By the numbers
Prices checked Oct 9; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Oct 9.
| Measure | ARC Raiders | Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Value ARC Raiders wins on value | ||
| Price now | $19.99 −50% · Steam | $21.59 −46% · GamersGate |
| All-time low | $19.99 | $19.39 |
| Cost / hour | $0.43/hr $19.99 · 47 h main story | $1.70/hr $21.59 · 13 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was Oct 2026 | +11% low was Oct 2026 |
| Main story | 47 h | 13 h |
| Health Too close to call | ||
| Steam reviews | 82% 421k reviews | 77% 65k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 63% 4k votes · vs 82% lifetime · souring | 66% 442 votes · vs 77% lifetime · souring |
| Peak players | 39,900 Sep 2026 · ↓ 3% MoM | 3,475 Sep 2026 · ↓ 45% MoM |
| Launch peak | — | 4% of Mar 2026 launch peak · as of Sep 2026 |
| All-time peak | 465,097 Jan 2026 · now at 9% | 77,358 Mar 2026 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 2 days ago | 2 days ago |
| Patch cadence | 15+ in last 90 days, at minimum | 11 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Borked |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
ARC Raiders
Atmosphere and audio are the anchors for long-haul fans — the abandoned world and machine hums keep 1000-hour players hooked.
Cheaters and exploiters are the dominating frustration, with veterans abandoning balanced/PvP lobbies and begging for real anti-cheat.
from our August 2026 verdict
Marathon
Gunplay and sound design keep long-haul fans locked in, with the Runner Shell system and map design repeatedly praised as the best in the genre.
Cheating and lobby disconnects have plagued high-hour players, while skill/equipment disparity plus a shrinking playerbase squeeze casuals out.
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick ARC Raiders if
- You want a co-op PvE extraction loop that doesn't fully loot-wipe you
- You log 40+ hours and need a shooter with steady post-launch patching
- You prioritize audio design and worldbuilding over pure PvP demands
Pick Marathon if
- You've sunk 200 hours into Hunt Showdown and want a fresher arena
- You love Destiny's gunfeel and accept squad-only, loss-heavy sessions
- You want a 13-hour arc with no expectation of grinding past it
Bottom line
Choose ARC Raiders if you need sustained content and a larger active base; pick Marathon only if you already have a trusted squad and crave Bungie's gunfeel over population health.