Cryo Archive is the Marathon’s fourth map, set aboard the UESC Marathon colony ship in orbit, and it’s intended as a high‑risk, high‑reward experience with unique loot and challenges. You cannot queue into it immediately at launch — it requires several layered conditions before access becomes available.
1. Global Community Unlock (Season Progression)
Redacted Map: Cryo Archive
Cryo Archive is locked behind a Season 1 community progression goal and shows as Redacted on the map select. The map won’t open until the community completes a large shared objective tied to Marathon’s Season 1 roadmap. This goal is tracked across all players and can be checked by visiting the Cryo Archives website.
In the latest patch for Marathon, Bungie has deployed Cryo Archive, but it is yet to be unlocked by the community. Once complete, Bungie enables access for players who meet the requirements to enter the new map.
This model ensures everyone participates in lifting the unlock threshold before the map becomes selectable in the menu.
2. Alternate Reality Game (ARG) Puzzle Sequence
Cryo Archive Cameras
Even after the community unlock, there’s an ongoing ARG connected to Cryo Archive. Bungie deployed mystery terminals across the Perimeter, Dire Marsh, and Outpost maps, unlocking feeds and lore when interacted with. Players have already solved several steps of a multi‑stage ARG puzzle tied to revealing the ship and teasing the map.
The final stages of this ARG are believed to correlate with Cryo Archive becoming playable.
NOTE: The ARG isn’t an exclusive requirement on its own, but it’s tightly woven into how the community opens the doors to the archive.
3. All Cryo Archive Requirements
Faction introduction contracts
Once the community unlocks Cryo Archive and the map becomes selectable, individual players must also meet personal requirements — such as reaching a minimum account level and engaging with season progression systems — before they can tackle the challenges and high‑tier loot that await inside Cryo Archive.
Before entering Cryo Archive, your Runner must meet the following requirements:
- Season Level 25 — a progression level earned by playing raids and completing faction contracts.
- Unlocked access to all six factions — CyberAcme, NuCaloric, Traxus, MIDA, Arachne, and Sekiguchi Genetics are the six factions, and you need to complete their introduction contract to unlock them in your Factions tab.
- Minimum Loadout Value — You must bring a proper Runner loadout with weapons, mods, armor, and implants that total at least 5,000 credits in value.
- No Free Rook and Sponsored Kits — Rook and Sponsored kits will not be eligible for entry in Cryo Archive; you will need to bring high-tier loot for raids.
- No Solo Raids — Solo queue players will not be able to enter Cryo Archive, as it’s a high-risk, high-reward location focusing on squads and PvP.
NOTE: You don’t need to max level factions, but only complete the introduction contracts to unlock all six factions.
