Marathon Guide | All The Different Worlds & Maps

Here’s a guide on all the Worlds and Maps you can play in, in Marathon.

Game Guide by Ragib Rawnak on Mar 07, 2026

The story takes place in the year 2893 on a colony called Tau Ceti IV. Long ago, 30,000 people living there vanished. No one knows why.

You play as a Runner. These are mercenaries with cybernetic parts. Different groups hire you to go down to the surface. You scavenge what is left and try to solve the mystery. Above the planet, the old colony ship UESC Marathon stays in orbit.

It was built from a moon called Deimos. At the start, you can visit three zones on the ground. There is also one spot hidden away for the end of the game in Marathon.

Marathon, Guide, All The Different Worlds & Maps

The First Zones

If you are new, start at Perimeter. This map is on the edge of the colony. It was still growing when things went wrong. It has buildings that are spread out. You can see far away because of the long sight lines. Only five squads play here at once. It is the best place to learn how to play.

Next is Dire Marsh. This was the area for farming. It is now the center of the collapse. A strange thing called the Anomaly is here.

The land is a swamp which makes it hard to see. There is water that works with a heat system. This map allows six squads. You will run into other players more often here. Move to this zone once you know Perimeter well.

Marathon, Guide, All The Different Worlds & Maps

Advanced Locations

Outpost is the smallest map. It is very intense. The map sits around a military base called the Pinwheel. It has a lot of high spots and tight spaces.

You will find AI security and Trip Wires everywhere. You cannot play this map until you reach Runner Level 12. The developers are making sure no one can enter on the first day. If you hit the level on the second day, you can go in.

The last map is the Cryo Archive. It is on the UESC Marathon ship in space. This is the hardest part of the game. It has seven Vaults that get tougher as you go. Your whole squad must work together to finish it in Marathon.

The community has to unlock this map during Season 1. Everyone must finish Surface Missions to get access. If you are new, do not worry if you cannot enter yet. It will likely open up in a few days or weeks.

Also, check our Marathon Review and other guides below