Bungie's Marathon, its new sci-fi extraction shooter and the reboot of its classic '90s FPS franchise, is now out — and the day after launch, the game's third map, Outpost, has now been released, and is available to select when loading into a run.
Outpost wasn't available to play on during the pre-launch Marathon Server Slam, but you can drop into it now as long as you've reached level 12 by completing runs and completing enough quests for the game's various factions.
It'll take you several hours to reach that point, but there's good reason for that; the upgrades and expanded options for buying gear to take into your raids you'll have by then will come in very handy on Outpost, as it's a significant step up in difficulty compared to the early game maps Perimeter and Dire Marsh.
Described as "a more functional, thriving UESC facility," Outpost is a smaller map centered around a large central structure that features a dark nighttime atmosphere, dangerous weather hazards, a greater number of tough PvE UESC enemies, and "enemy crews around every corner." The below video from Bungie shows what to expect:
Outpost has been unlocked for runners who've reached level 12. Take on stronger UESC enemies and new environmental hazards, with enemy crews around every corner. pic.twitter.com/P52i05wuirMarch 6, 2026
Outpost's defining feature is the "Pinwheel," a "meat grinder of a structure" in the center of the map that towers over the rest of the stage and is filled with "nooks and crannies and hallways." Bungie says this building brings more verticality to the map compared to others, and overall, "it just becomes a real clusterf*** when you're in there fighting."
The Pinwheel is where you'll find some of the best loot Outpost has to offer, but the process of getting your hands on it will be "noisy," so you can expect a ton of intense PvE and PvP within the structure.
You'll definitely want to make sure you're going into Outpost with a full loadout of solid gear, plenty of ammo, and a healthy amount of meds — especially since Marathon's fast time-to-kill (TTK) means you can't afford to be caught unprepared in hot PvP zones.
Reactions to the map thus far have confirmed it's indeed the big difficulty spike Bungie said it is, with players reporting what feels like "1,000 turrets I guess," a "claustrophobic layout," and a whole lotta dying. One fan even commented that it "feels like a horror level," so be ready for constant nerve-wracking tension.
All in all, Outpost takes the high-risk, high-reward nature of Marathon's gameplay loop to an entirely new level, and will no doubt be where you'll find the most intense action until the community figures out how to unlock the endgame Cryo Archive stage, which is located on the UESC Marathon colony ship itself.
I haven't quite reached level 12 yet, but I'm excited to do so soon and jump into Outpost with my squad. I'd say I hope to see you there, but honestly, I don't...unless you've got some sweet loot with my name on it, that is. Stay frosty, Runners.
🗨️ Ready to jump into Outpost?
Now that the Outpost map is out in Marathon, are you ready to jump into it for a few high-stakes runs? How are you feeling about Marathon in general? Let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear from you.
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