The premise of Bungie’s extraction shooter, Marathon, is three-player squads descending into dangerous areas full of opposing players, AI foes, and environmental dangers. However, you can play without a team. The game even has a class made just for lone wolves, and solo queuing is explicitly supported. The problem is that going it alone puts you at a serious disadvantage, and the first step to making it work is to understand why. This article gives you a step-by-step guide on how to dominate the game when running solo.
If you’re new to the game, you may also want to check out other Marathon guides on MitchCactus, such as the Marathon strategy guides.
Can I Play Solo in Marathon?
With games like ARC Raiders attracting more players, the extraction shooter genre is continuing to gain popularity. Marathon is the newest game for players to dive into.
Most matchmaking in extraction shooters tends to include many solo players, which is part of what keeps the genre interesting. In Marathon, you can start a match alone, but solo players usually enter the same lobbies as other players, including coordinated squads.
If you want to better understand how Marathon progression, gear, and factions work, you can also explore more Marathon gameplay tips here.
How to Solo Queue in Marathon
To solo queue in Marathon, you simply need to disable team matchmaking in the lobby.
- Open the lobby screen.
- Select the map you want to deploy on.
- Click the Crew button or key.
- Change the option from “Crew Fill” to “Solo.”
- Start matchmaking.
This will place you into a match without teammates. However, it does not always guarantee that every other player is solo, so you may still encounter squads during the run.
Bungie has also mentioned plans to add a Duo mode in the future.
If you want to speed up your solo progression or unlock gear faster, you can also browse available Marathon materials here.
The Rook Runner Shell
Another way to enter matches alone is by choosing the Rook Runner Shell.
If you select the Rook, you will join a match that is already in progress. The Rook typically enters the battlefield at least 10 minutes after the match begins, which means you will miss the first wave of extractions.
Players looking to improve their solo runs often upgrade their loadouts with better gear, mods, and implants available through the Marathon store offers.
Solo Survival Tips
Playing solo in Marathon requires a different mindset compared to team play.
Before deploying, you should set a clear objective. Plan your route in and out of the map, choose a contract, and identify the zone that contains the items you need. Wandering without a goal wastes time and increases the chance of running into enemy squads.
Movement discipline is often more important than raw aim. Staying near the edges of the map, avoiding crowded areas unless necessary, and saving escape abilities for emergencies can make a big difference.
Final Thoughts
Solo play in Marathon is entirely possible, but it requires more patience and discipline than team play. Players who treat every run like a carefully planned heist rather than a deathmatch tend to succeed more often.
Enter the map, collect what you need, and extract before the odds turn against you.
Check out our guide on how to survive raids alone and improve your solo runs.
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