Marathon has only been out for two weeks, and Bungie is already rolling out one of the most requested features for the extraction shooter: Ranked mode. The first Ranked window opens this Saturday, March 21, at 10:00 AM Pacific (1:00 PM Eastern) and runs through Monday, March 24, at 10:00 AM Pacific (1:00 PM Eastern). You’ll need to be Runner Level 25 to queue, and the first weekend will only feature the Low Stakes queue on the Perimeter zone.
Ranked is designed to test the full Marathon loop, from looting to PvP to knowing when to exfil. At the center of the system is a new item called the Holotag, which you purchase with credits and bring into your run. The tier of Holotag you carry sets your score target (how much loot value your crew needs to exfil with to earn Ranked Points) and your loss penalty (how much you lose if you die). Higher-tier Holotags mean more potential RP but also more risk. There are six tiers: Bronze, Silver, and Gold for Low Stakes, and Platinum, Diamond, and Pinnacle for High Stakes.
In addition to the Holotag requirement, Ranked matches have a gear ante, which is the minimum credit value of your equipped loadout. For Low Stakes, that’s 3,000 credits, roughly a set of Enhanced gear with a few Deluxe pieces. For High Stakes, it’s 10,000, about a full Deluxe set with some Superior items. The ante ensures everyone in the match has something on the line, so no more naked knife runs or Sponsored Kit cheese.
Scoring works around meeting your crew’s combined Holotag target. Hit the target and exfil to earn RP. Exfil under the target and your rank stays the same. Die, and you lose RP based on your Holotag values. There’s also an overperformance system where looting enemy Runner Holotags or collecting Tag Chips from UESC encounters and map events lets you earn beyond your initial score cap. It’s a layered system that rewards both efficient looting and PvP aggression.
Players will climb through six ranks (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Pinnacle) with three tiers each, and end-of-season rewards are locked to the highest rank achieved, not your final standing. That’s a smart decision, since it removes the anxiety of losing rewards by continuing to play. Season 1 rewards include gun styles, titles, a Runner Shell style at Gold, and a player background at Silver.
Ranked will be available on weekends throughout the season, with each weekend rotating through Marathon’s planet-side zones. Bungie says the mode is in beta for Season 1, and the team is actively looking for feedback through Discord and social media. For a game that launched to solid numbers but saw a quick decline, giving competitive players a reason to come back every weekend is a necessary move. Whether the Holotag system clicks with the community remains to be seen, but on paper, it’s a compelling risk-reward loop that fits the extraction shooter format.
