Before 2025, I never really found the concept of extraction shooters that interesting. Historically, my preference has been team-based hero shooters like Team Fortress 2 and Monitoringwith the occasional foray into Call of Duty when the mood hit me. That is why when ARC Raiders was revealed at first, I didn't think much of it. But before I was released, I got stuck ARC Raiders hype, and I'm so glad I did because it ended up being one of my favorite games of 2025 while giving me a hunger for more extraction games.
Although I have taken an interest in other extraction shooters such as Hunt: Showdown 1896 and Escape from Tarkovpart of me wants to hold off on diving too deep into these games just yet. I still enjoy everything ARC Raiders has to offer, even if I chose not to send my character out ARC Raiders'first expedition. The main thing keeping me from jumping into other extraction shooters at the moment is the imminent release of Bungie's Marathonwho is becoming another ARC Raiders situation and has quickly jumped to one of my most anticipated games of 2026.
ARC Raiders Cheaters is finally banned, but not everyone is happy about it
ARC Raiders developer Embark Studios is finally starting to ban cheaters in the extraction game, but not everyone seems happy about it.
How I fell in love with ARC Raiders 2025
My love for ARC Raiders really blossomed from feeling burnt out on the shooting formula I was used to. I'm not a big battle royale player, and the team based hero shooting formula too Monitoring and Marvel Rivals was getting old. So when I saw the hype for ARC Raiders as an upcoming extraction game with a beginner-friendly gameplay loop and a unique world design and aesthetic, my excitement grew the more I saw previews of the game.
Fast forward to ARC Raidersthe launch, and I knew I was hooked after my first ride from above; the rush of not knowing where other players were and if they were friendly combined with scavenging for materials and equipment scratched the itch in my brain that engaged me on the same level as my beloved Diablo 4. With ARC Raiders having the thrill of a horror game combined with the reward of looting gear that Borderlands 4 or Diablo 4it's clear that elements from many of my favorite types of games were rolled into the extraction shooter package, and I ended up wondering why I hadn't experienced the genre before.
ARC Raiders has me more excited for Bungie's Marathon than ever before
Like when ARC Raiders first announced, I never paid much attention to Bungie's new Marathon game because I thought it wouldn't be for me. I'm not super familiar with Bungie as a studio; I haven't played much of the classic Halo series and could never enter Destiny 2. But after experiencing ARC Raiders in the last months of 2025 and the first months of 2026, suddenly, Marathon is back on my radar.
Marathon is currently targeting a March 2026 release window, but no specific release date has been announced.
Marathon looks better and better
It's no secret Marathon was not very well received by audiences when it was first presented. The game had some interesting features, but the environments looked generic and the game looked like standard Bungie fare. After the shooting burnout players have experienced in recent years, as shown by the whole situation around Harmonymany players, myself included, chalked it up Marathon up as another case of a multiplayer title in an oversaturated market that will be dead a few weeks after launch.
Marathon also had a controversy surrounding the use of plagiarized art assets, which further turned off potential players from the game. After a closed Alpha test that yielded less than stellar feedback, Bungie delayed Marathon out of its original fall 2025 release window to incorporate that feedback and polish the game. This delay may end up being the game's salvation, as it allowed ARC Raiders to launch without objection in that release window, bringing new extraction shooter fans like myself into the fold while promising an exciting new experience just a few months later.
From what the game has been shown by Marathon recently, the game looks much better than it did when it was first shown, even compared to the Alpha test images. The game's visual style is much more vibrant and environments look lush and interesting, which will likely go a long way towards achieving the same world-building success as ARC Raiders get praise for. The game from the last closed test in December also looks much more unique and punchy, with features like ARC Raiders has, such as the ability to revive itself from the downed state and contracts given by the game's various factions that runners must fulfill.
Marathon Art Director is leaving Bungie just 3 months before Extraction Shooter's official launch
Marathon is now just around the corner, but the extraction shooter's art director has stepped down ahead of the game's launch.
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$40 Price
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Launch with minimal competition
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Open preview weekend before launch
Marathon will likely benefit from the success of ARC Raidersand already looks like it's following in its competitor's footsteps. Marathon launched at a reasonable price of $40 which ARC Raiders is a much lower barrier to entry for new players curious about the game than other full priced AAA games, meaning it will be a first time purchase for me. With ARC Raiders already months old at this point, Marathon has the luxury of launching with few other competitors in the space, and ARC Raiders players might be looking for a new experience at that point. ARC Raiders was also able to sell many players on its gameplay during the free open beta held in the weeks leading up to launch, and Marathon is also planning a similar preview weekend.
My love for ARC Raiders has blossomed into a fascination with the extraction shooter genre, so I'm eager to experience a unique new take on the formula. While the jury is still out on whether Marathon can reach the same level of success as ARC RaidersI know I will release into the world of Tau Ceti IV as soon as possible with how Marathon is shaping up from the latest game previews.
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
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Marathon
