Marathon vs Splatoon Raiders
A squad-based extraction shooter with 77% positive reviews versus a PvE looter that rewards co-op on Switch — your platform and tolerance for wipe-driven loss decides this.
Updated 26d ago
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.
Splatoon's looter loop gets an 8/10 glow-up — the raid-and-loot PvE core earns its keep
By the numbers
Prices checked Oct 2; 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 2.
| Measure | Marathon | Splatoon Raiders |
|---|---|---|
| Value | ||
| Price now | $21.59 −46% · GamersGate | $49.99 eShop |
| All-time low | $19.39 | — |
| Cost / hour | $1.70/hr $21.59 · 13 h main story | — |
| Off its low | +11% low was Oct 2026 | — |
| Main story | 13 h | — |
| Health | ||
| Steam reviews | 77% 65k reviews | — |
| Recent reviews | 66% 442 votes · vs 77% lifetime · souring | — |
| Metacritic user score | — | 9.3/10 1,965 ratings |
| Peak players | 3,475 Sep 2026 · ↓ 45% MoM | — No PC release |
| Launch peak | 4% of Mar 2026 launch peak · as of Sep 2026 | — |
| All-time peak | 77,358 Mar 2026 | — |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 2 days ago | 2 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 11 in last 90 days | 2 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Borked | — |
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
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
Splatoon Raiders
The loot-and-raid loop hooks fast, with co-op play keeping sessions alive past the first week.
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Marathon if
- You've sunk 200 hours into Hunt Showdown and want a new arena
- You play exclusively with a trusted squad and don't mind wiped kits
- You want Bungie's gunfeel and sound design in a PvP extraction format
Pick Splatoon Raiders if
- You 100%'d Octo Expansion and want more Splatoon depth without the competitive ladder
- You play co-op campaigns with friends on Switch hardware
- You'd rather keep loot between missions than risk it on every run
Bottom line
PC players with deep Hunt Showdown squads should pick Marathon despite its 77% reviews and thinning playerbase; Switch owners who want Splatoon's ink without the ranked grind should pick Raiders.