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Check out the latest update for Marathon (v1.1.9.5, Oct 20)! Click here to view the patch notes. It is approx. 1.2 GB on Steam.
Bungie reveals that Destiny will continue, and talks more about the evolution of Marathon by the end of Year 1. Read more here!
Promotion Messages
Learn more about what the Season 2 mid-season update will bring. Click here to view the post.
Take a look at our Runner Shells page in our Marathon Channel to learn more about the shells and various customization types. We'll be expanding on this page over time!
Learn more about items in Marathon, ranging from consumables, cores, implants and more! Updated to include information about Key Cards and high-tier materials!
Bungie has released information about a Season 2: Nightfall Refresh, a December "Symbiosis" Update and an update to the Seasonal Model.
Learn how to survive on each map in Marathon, including Perimeter, Dire Marsh, Outpost and Cryo Archive! This page features navigation tips, best practices, and video guides from content creators. We've updated to include CRYO ARCHIVE!
Learn more about Factions & Upgrades. This page provides info about each faction, upgrade benefits, resources required to upgrade, and faction tips.
Maintenance & Update Messages
Check out the latest update for Marathon (v1.1.0, June 2, 2026)! Click here to view the patch notes.
Check out the latest update for Marathon (v1.1.0.5, July 9, 2026)! Click here to view the patch notes. It is approx. 518 MB on Steam and contains a single fix to the solo queue.

Marathon: Factions & Upgrades Guide

Learn how Marathon’s six factions work, which upgrades matter most, what resources each faction uses, and where to focus your contracts each season for the strongest long-term progression.

The Important Details

  • Factions are one of Marathon’s main seasonal progression systems, giving you stronger base stats, better Armory access, and more reliable recovery after bad runs.
  • You can only bring one active contract into a run, so every run should have a clear purpose tied to the faction you want to progress.
  • Faction upgrades require reputation/rank, credits, and specific salvage materials, so efficient progression means farming with intention instead of looting randomly.
  • Faction progression resets each season, but your liaison unlocks carry over, so you do not need to re-unlock factions from scratch every season.
  • Unlocking all six factions is now especially important because they are required for access to Cryo Archive.
  • For early value, CyberAcme, NuCaloric, and Sekiguchi tend to offer the most reliable account-wide power and quality-of-life benefits.
September 30, 2026
Quick Menu − What are you looking for?
What are Factions?
Which Faction to Level First
C.A.R.R.I. Protocol
Cyberacme
NuCaloric
Traxus
MIDA
Arachne
Sekiguchi
Video Guides
START HERE, RUNNER
Updated for Season 2: Nightfall (Refresh) and Symbiosis arriving December 2026.

WHAT ARE FACTIONS?

  • Marathon features six major factions competing for information, resources, influence, and opportunity across Tau Ceti IV:
    • CyberAcme, NuCaloric, Traxus, MIDA, Arachne, and Sekiguchi Genetics.
  • Rather than choosing one permanent allegiance, Runners can work with every faction.
    • Each organization offers its own contracts, reputation progression, Armory access, upgrade tree, equipment, and specialized rewards.
  • Faction progression allows you to:
    • Unlock new weapons, equipment, implants, cores, Sponsored Kits, and Armory options.
    • Improve utility systems such as Vault capacity, recovery, movement, ability uptime, loot efficiency, and other specialized benefits.
    • Gain access to faction-specific barter and higher-rarity equipment.
    • Unlock powerful Capstone upgrades as you progress deeper into a faction tree.
    • Establish relationships with all six factions, which is required to access Cryo Archive.
NIGHTFALL // PROGRESSION SYSTEMS

Factions vs. The Cradle

Season 2 separated faction progression from core Runner Shell stat progression. Both systems make your Runner stronger, but they now serve different purposes.

Factions GEAR // ACCESS // SPECIALIZATION Contracts & reputation Armory access & barter Weapons, implants & equipment Sponsored Kits Utility upgrades Capstone bonuses
The Cradle STATS // ENERGY // BUILDCRAFTING Core Runner Shell stats Cradle Energy allocation Stat breakpoint perks Shared progression across Shells Freely reassignable Energy Cradle Evolution progression
COMING OCTOBER 6: The Nightfall Refresh resets progression and the in-game economy. Exact faction-specific reset details will be added once officially confirmed.

FACTIONS & THE CRADLE

  • Beginning with Season 2: Nightfall, core Runner Shell stat progression moved out of faction upgrade trees and into the Cradle.
  • The Cradle is now the primary system for increasing your Runner’s core statistical power and tailoring attributes to your preferred build. Its Energy can be freely reassigned, allowing you to change your statistical focus without rebuilding faction progression.
  • Factions remain an important progression system, but their role is now more focused on specialized gear, Armory access, faction-themed implants, Sponsored Kits, utility upgrades, reputation rewards, and build-supporting bonuses.
  • Each faction also has a distinct gameplay identity:
    • CyberAcme — Economy, Vault expansion, backpacks, loot efficiency, keys, and broad utility.
    • NuCaloric — Healing, shields, recovery, durability, and survival equipment.
    • Traxus — Weapons, weapon mods, precision equipment, and stronger offensive Armory options.
    • MIDA — Mobility, disruption, grenades, traps, sensors, and area control.
    • Arachne — Aggressive combat, melee pressure, finishers, weapon access, and combat sustain.
    • Sekiguchi Genetics — Runner Cores, ability-focused equipment, Energy Amps, cooldown support, and Shell specialization.
Do not forget Priority Access: Once faction Priority Access is unlocked, check faction Armory sections regularly. Some valuable weapons, consumables, cores, and gear can appear there, making it one of the easiest ways to rebuild after bad runs or prepare for harder maps.

HOW FACTION PROGRESSION WORKS

FACTION NETWORK // ONLINE

Build relationships with Marathon's six factions through contracts, reputation, and targeted progression. Select a module below to learn how each part of the system works.

06 MODULES
+ Select a progression module to expand

WHICH FACTION SHOULD YOU LEVEL FIRST?

Priority Faction Focus Why Level This First?
01 CyberAcme Economy, vault space, backpacks, and loot comfort. CyberAcme is the safest starter foundation. More storage, better inventory comfort, and economy-focused upgrades make every other part of Marathon easier to manage.
02 NuCaloric Healing, shields, recovery, and survival tools. NuCaloric helps you stay alive, recover from bad fights, and rebuild after mistakes. It is especially valuable for solo players and newer Runners.
03 Sekiguchi Runner Shell identity, cores, and ability-focused buildcrafting. Sekiguchi becomes stronger once you know which Runner Shells you enjoy. It helps sharpen your build and gives more value to your preferred playstyle.
04 MIDA Mobility, disruption, traps, explosives, and area control. MIDA is excellent for players who like movement, utility, chokepoint control, and making enemy squads uncomfortable before the real fight begins.
05 Traxus Weapons, weapon mods, Armory access, and combat loadouts. Traxus is great once you can survive riskier routes and want stronger weapon access. Level it when you are ready to invest more heavily into combat power.
06 Arachne PvP pressure, finishers, aggressive combat, and high-risk rewards. Arachne is best for confident PvP players who can consistently win fights, secure downs, and convert aggression into profit.
Flex Your Main Playstyle Whatever strengthens how you actually play. This is not a strict rule. If you already know your favourite Runner Shell, map, or role, prioritize the faction that supports that playstyle first.

C.A.R.R.I. PROTOCOL

CYBERACME // RUNNER SUPPORT NETWORK

C.A.R.R.I. Protocol

CyberAcme Runner Reinforcement Initiative
Protocol Available

C.A.R.R.I. is a CyberAcme support program designed to reward successful solo play, crew cooperation, contract assistance, and extraction. Completing eligible activities earns CyberAcme Commendations, which can be exchanged through the C.A.R.R.I. Armory for additional progression resources and equipment.

01 EARN
Earn Commendations Participate in supported solo and cooperative activities, assist with contracts, successfully extract, and complete other eligible objectives to earn CyberAcme Commendations.
02 EXCHANGE
Access the Armory Spend earned Commendations through the C.A.R.R.I. Armory to acquire rotating weapons, equipment, salvage, and other useful resources.
03 REINFORCE
Accelerate Progression Reputation Packs available through C.A.R.R.I. can support progression with other factions, giving the system value well beyond CyberAcme's own upgrade tree.
C.A.R.R.I. Armory Inventory and Commendation costs can change as Marathon's live progression systems are tuned. Check the current Armory before deciding where to spend your Commendations.
NIGHTFALL REFRESH // C.A.R.R.I. continues to serve as an additional support and catch-up pathway as Marathon's progression ecosystem evolves.

CYBERACME

  • CyberAcme is the industry leader in artificial intelligence and cybernetic infrastructure, providing theONI systems installed in Runner Shells.
  • Its faction tree acts as one of Marathon’s strongest general-purpose progression paths, emphasizing Vault capacity, economy, backpacks, loot efficiency, heat management, keys, and other quality-of-life upgrades.
  • CyberAcme reputation naturally overlaps with normal play. Completing CyberAcme contracts, successfully extracting, activating TADs, and participating in Intercept events can all contribute to progression.
  • If you want broad utility that benefits nearly every type of run rather than committing immediately to a specialized combat style, CyberAcme remains one of the strongest places to begin after a progression reset.
CONTRACT EXAMPLE
UPGRADES EXAMPLE
UPGRADE BENEFITS
  • Expansion is one of the best early upgrades in the game because extra vault space pays off every single run.
  • Informant.exe boosts data card credit value and helps your economy ramp much faster.
  • Carrier / Carrier+ unlock Enhanced and Deluxe backpacks, which are extremely useful because good backpacks are not always easy to find naturally.
  • Scavenger.exe improves loot speed, letting you clear containers faster and spend less time exposed.
  • Heat Sink.exe improves heat capacity, making movement feel better during sprinting and sliding.
  • Locksmith adds keys to your Armory options, giving you more control over locked loot access.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
  • CyberAcme upgrades require faction rank, Credits, and salvage materials.
  • The full CyberAcme tree is the most expensive overall at roughly 200,000 Credits.
  • Its biggest material demands are Unstable Diode, Unstable Gel, Unstable Gunmetal, Unstable Biomass, and Unstable Lead.
  • This is a strong faction to progress while doing general-purpose loot and exfil runs because its rep sources are broad and easy to layer into normal gameplay.
TIPS & TRICKS
  • Prioritize Expansion early, then move into Informant.exe, Scavenger.exe, and backpack unlocks.
  • Take CyberAcme contracts when you are doing “standard” loot runs rather than risky PvP hunts.
  • This is one of the best factions for players who want smoother stash growth and less punishment after a rough loss streak.
  • If you are unsure where to begin after a major progression reset, CyberAcme is one of the most forgiving first investments because its storage, economy, backpack, and utility upgrades support nearly every other progression path.

NUCALORIC

  • NuCaloric Agricultural is one of humanity’s largest providers of basic consumer goods and was among the original sponsors of the UESC Marathon expedition.
  • Its progression identity revolves around survival: healing, shielding, status resistance, recovery, durability, and reliable access to medical equipment.
  • Season 2 strengthened that identity by giving each faction its own family of specialized implants. NuCaloric’s implant options emphasize healing and durability, making the faction particularly valuable for solo Runners, newer players, and anyone who wants to reduce the cost of recovering from difficult runs.
  • Reputation can be earned through NuCaloric contracts, Medical Cabinets and Tick Nests, harvesting plants, participating in Supply Drops, and extracting with NuCaloric valuables.
CONTRACT EXAMPLE
UPGRADES EXAMPLE
UPGRADE BENEFITS
  • Safeguard, Advanced Shields, and Safeguard+ are some of the strongest early unlocks because they give you regular access to free shield consumables.
  • Restore, Advanced Patch, and Restore+ do the same for healing, which saves Credits and stabilizes your prep between runs.
  • Shielded unlocks Enhanced shield implants, giving you a much better baseline defensive setup.
  • Recovery.exe improves self-repair speed, making healing more efficient.
  • Self-Revive is a huge milestone unlock because reliable self-revives are game-changing and not something you want to depend on random drops for.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
  • NuCaloric upgrades require faction rank, Credits, and biomaterial-heavy salvage.
  • Completing the full tree costs roughly 85,000 Credits.
  • The largest material demands are Unstable Biomass, Sparkleaf, and Reclaimed Biostripping, with later needs for Dermachem Pack, Tarax Seed, and Neurochem Pack.
  • This is one of the more efficient factions to build early because many of its best benefits start paying you back immediately through reduced prep costs.
TIPS & TRICKS
  • If you play solo or regularly recover from scuffed runs, NuCaloric should be high on your priority list.
  • Push toward free healing and shield unlocks early, then build toward Self-Revive.
  • NuCaloric is excellent for consistent players who value survival, economy preservation, and cleaner reset loops after death.
  • Even if it is not your “main” faction, it is worth leveling enough to make your everyday loadouts cheaper and safer.

TRAXUS

  • Traxus is an industrial and economic superpower whose faction progression focuses heavily on weapons, weapon mods, precision equipment, and stronger Armory access.
  • Its reputation sources reward weapon and industrial activity, including Traxus contracts, Arms Lockers and Munitions Crates, Convoy and Lockdown events, and extracting with Traxus valuables.
  • Traxus is less about early-game recovery and more about expanding the quality and variety of your combat loadouts. Its upgrade tree offers access to increasingly powerful weapons, mods, attachments, and specialized Armory options.
  • Fun Fact: Vulcan is voiced by the amazing Morla Gorrondona, the voice of Eris Morn in Destiny and Empress Lilandra from X-Men ’97!
CONTRACT EXAMPLE
UPGRADES EXAMPLE
UPGRADE BENEFITS
  • Traxus is loaded with weapon and mod unlocks, especially chip mods and higher-tier attachment options.
  • Enhanced Heavy Submachine Gun gives you an early solid weapon option in the Armory.
  • MIPS Sniper unlocks the Longshot Sniper Rifle, one of the most desirable Traxus unlocks for players who like ranged control.
  • Its late progression improves access to Deluxe weapons and Superior weapon mods, giving it one of the strongest long-term offensive ceilings.
  • If your goal is stronger combat loadouts rather than pure sustain, Traxus is one of the best faction paths in the game
RESOURCES REQUIRED
  • Traxus upgrades require rank, Credits, and a more tech-industrial resource pool.
  • The full Traxus tree costs roughly 62,750 Credits.
  • Traxus’ largest material requirements include Unstable Gunmetal, Deimosite Rods, Altered Wire, and Plasma Filament, with later investments into rarer resources such as Tachyon Filament, Predictive Framework, and Alien Alloy.
  • Compared to CyberAcme and NuCaloric, Traxus asks for a more deliberate farming plan if you want to progress it quickly.
TIPS & TRICKS
  • Traxus is strongest once you already understand the maps and can survive riskier routes reliably.
  • Treat it as a power spike faction for weapons and mods, not your first “stability” faction.
  • Great for players who want stronger gun quality, more refined attachments, and better late-run lethality.
  • It becomes much more valuable once your core sustain and stash management are already in a decent place.

MIDA

  • MIDA is a radical anti-establishment movement built around sabotage, disruption, mobility, and asymmetric warfare.
  • Its progression tree supports fast repositioning, traps, grenades, sensors, extraction-zone control, resistance tools, and other equipment designed to make the battlefield less predictable for opposing crews.
  • Reputation comes from MIDA contracts and activities aligned with that philosophy, including Lockboxes, Munitions Crates, caches, Secured Resource events, and extracting with MIDA valuables.
CONTRACT EXAMPLE
UPGRADES EXAMPLE
UPGRADE BENEFITS
  • Flex Matrix.exe increases Agility, improving movement speed and jump height.
  • Sprinter, Graceful, and Survivor unlock some of the most practical implants for movement, landing control, and survival.
  • MIDA also unlocks a large set of utility gear: Claymores, Trap Packs, Proximity Sensors, Ammo Crates, and multiple grenade types.
  • Anti-Virus tools add more utility for dealing with environmental threats and pressure scenarios.
  • Late in the tree, MIDA adds access to Bubble Shields, reinforcing its role as a disruption-and-control faction rather than a pure damage faction.
I N T E L // A S S E R T // Bubble Shields are extremely useful for exfils and revive-scenarios!
I N T E L // A S S E R T // As of Nightfall, the final cpstone now grants ANTI_VIRUS.EXE, providing two minutes of Anti-Virus protection at the beginning of a run. This replaced its previous Cardio Kick effect, which did not stack correctly with the Dexterity-track perk.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
  • MIDA upgrades require rank, Credits, and a utility-focused salvage mix.
  • The full tree costs roughly 59,250 Credits.
  • The biggest material demands are Surveillance Lens, Dynamic Compounds, and Unstable Lead, with later investments into Volatile Compounds, Thoughtwave Lens, and Biolens Seed.
  • Because so many MIDA unlocks are equipment-based, you get a lot of practical value from even partial investment.
TIPS & TRICKS
  • MIDA is especially useful for players who like controlling chokepoints, extraction zones, and vertical routes.
  • Prioritize Flex Matrix.exe and the core movement implants if you want value immediately.
  • Then decide whether you want to lean harder into grenades, traps, sensors, or anti-virus utility.
  • MIDA rewards smart players who win fights before the shooting really starts.

ARACHNE

  • Arachne is Marathon’s most openly combat-focused faction, rewarding Runners who pursue hostile crews and consistently convert aggression into successful eliminations.
  • Its reputation sources include Arachne contracts, looting other Runners, precision downs, finishers, and extracting with Arachne valuables.
  • Arachne’s upgrade tree supports melee pressure, Finisher Siphon, revive speed, close-range combat, and access to weapons and mods built for high-pressure engagements.
UPGRADES EXAMPLE
UPGRADE BENEFITS
  • Hard Strike.exe boosts melee and knife damage, which matters more than many players expect in close-range, low-noise fights.
  • Cutthroat.exe improves Finisher Siphon, giving you more shield return after a finisher.
  • Reboot.exe speeds up revives and self-revives, which is extremely useful in aggressive squad play.
  • MIPS Shotgun unlocks the WSTR Combat Shotgun, one of Arachne’s standout weapon unlocks.
  • The faction also adds strong access to LMG, railgun, and shotgun mods, reinforcing its kill pressure identity.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
  • Arachne upgrades require faction rank, Credits, and combat-focused salvage.
  • The full tree costs roughly 69,000 Credits.
  • Its biggest material demands are Unstable Gel, Drone Resin, and Drone Node, with later asks for Biomata Resin, Enzyme Replicator, and rarer components.
  • This faction is easiest to justify if your playstyle already revolves around PvP pressure and confirmed downs.
I N T E L // A S S E R T // During Season 2, Bungie adjusted the VIP upgrade costs for Arachne and Sekiguchi so that Synapse Cubes are used for certain upgrades instead of the previous Prestige Salvage requirements.
TIPS & TRICKS
  • Arachne shines most in squads that actively look for fights instead of avoiding them.
  • Prioritize Hard Strike.exe and Reboot.exe early if you want practical value before diving deeper into weapon unlocks.
  • If you are not consistently securing downs and finishes, this faction can feel slower and less rewarding than CyberAcme or NuCaloric.
  • For confident PvP players, though, Arachne can snowball hard and turn aggression into sustain.

sekiguchi

  • Sekiguchi Genetics develops the biomata Runner Shell technology that allows Runners to inhabit controllable synthetic-organic bodies.
  • In Season 2, core Runner stat progression moved to the Cradle, but Sekiguchi remains the faction most closely associated with Runner Cores, ability-focused buildcrafting, Energy Amps, cooldown support, and Shell specialization.
  • Its upgrade tree allows players to expand access to higher-quality Cores for individual Runner Shells while also improving ability uptime through upgrades such as TAC_AMP.EXE, PRIME_AMP.EXE, HEAD_START.EXE, and PRIMED.EXE.
  • Reputation comes from Sekiguchi contracts, Bioprinters, Core Storage, Anomalous Extraction, Targeted Treasure events, and extracting with Sekiguchi valuables.
UPGRADE BENEFITS
  • Sekiguchi’s most important unlocks are the Shell-specific core tracks, which add enhanced and later deluxe cores for your favorite Runner.
  • TAC_AMP.EXE reduces the cooldown of Tactical and Trait abilities.
  • PRIME_AMP.EXE reduces Prime cooldown, supporting more frequent major ability use.
  • Head Start.exe is a standout quality-of-life upgrade because it starts your Tactical half charged at the beginning of a run.
  • Harvester and Capacitors improve access to ability-focused implants, while upgrades like SCAB_FACTORY.EXE and LETHAL_AMP.EXE further support survivability and ability snowballing.
RESOURCES REQUIRED
  • Sekiguchi upgrades require rank, Credits, and advanced tech-biometric salvage.
  • The full tree costs roughly 71,500 Credits.
  • Its biggest material demands are Fractal Circuit, Storage Drive, and Unstable Diode, with later requirements for Amygdala Drive, Neural Insulation, and Paradox Circuit.
  • Because the tree covers every Runner Shell, it can become expensive fast if you try to unlock everything too early.
TIPS & TRICKS
  • Rather than attempting to unlock every Shell-specific Core path immediately, invest first in the Runner Shells you actually use.
  • Once your preferred Shells are supported, branch into Energy Amp, cooldown, implant, and broader Core-access upgrades.
  • Sekiguchi remains one of the strongest factions for players who want to deepen their chosen Shell’s identity without relying on the faction system for core statistical progression.
UPGRADES EXAMPLE

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// ONI CONNECTION SUCCESSFUL
SEASON 2: NIGHTFALL
BEFORE SEASON 2
END

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