6 FACTIONSSEASON 2
FACTION
INTEL
Six organizations control contracts, reputation, unique gear, and Armory access on Tau Ceti IV - and unlocking all six is your key to Cryo Archive. In Season 2, your core Runner Shell stats come from the Cradle, not faction grinding.
WHAT CHANGED IN SEASON 2
In Season 1, Runner Shell stat upgrades came from grinding faction reputation across six separate upgrade trees. Season 2 moved those core stat upgrades into the Cradle - a unified, freely respec-able system shared across all shells.
Factions still matter - just for different things now: contracts and reputation (faster in S2), unique gear and implant access, Sponsored Kits, Armory access, and gating Cryo Archive. For core stat builds, use the Cradle build planner.
CRYO ARCHIVE ACCESS
You must unlock all six factions to access Cryo Archive, the endgame zone. Faction progression resets each season, but factions you previously unlocked stay unlocked.
THE SIX FACTIONS
Unstable Gunmetal
Unstable Biomass
Ustable Lead
Unstable Diode
Unstable GelSEASON 2 PROGRESSION
FASTER REPUTATION
Standard Contracts grant significantly more reputation, and new sources were added - including Enhanced valuables and defeating UESC.
CHEAPER UPGRADES
Material costs to unlock faction upgrades were reduced, so reaching VIP rank is achievable for most players within a season.
FEWER GATES
Priority Contracts no longer require a faction rank, and have fewer single-run requirements.
UNLOCKS CARRY OVER
Faction level and upgrades reset each season, but factions you previously unlocked stay unlocked - no repeating Liaison Contracts.
CYBERACME INTEL3 ARTICLES
Frequently Asked5 QUESTIONS
What do factions do in Marathon Season 2?+
In Season 2, factions provide contracts and reputation, unique faction gear and implants, Sponsored Kits, and Armory and vendor access. They also gate Cryo Archive - you must unlock all six to access it. What factions no longer do is gate your core Runner Shell stat upgrades; those moved to the Cradle.
Do factions still give stat upgrades in Season 2?+
No. In Season 1, Runner Shell stat upgrades came from grinding faction reputation. In Season 2 those core stat upgrades moved to the Cradle, where you allocate Energy across six stat tracks. Factions now focus on contracts, unique gear, and access rather than core stats.
Why should I unlock all six factions?+
Unlocking all six factions is required to access Cryo Archive, the endgame zone. Beyond that, each faction offers its own contracts, reputation rewards, unique gear and implants, and Armory access.
How is faction progression different in Season 2?+
Faster. Standard Contracts grant more reputation, new reputation sources were added (Enhanced valuables, defeating UESC), material costs were reduced, and Priority Contracts no longer require a faction rank. Faction level resets each season, but factions you previously unlocked stay unlocked.
Who are the six Marathon factions?+
Cyberacme, Nucaloric, Traxus, Mida, Arachne, and Sekiguchi. Each is a distinct organization with its own representative and rewards. Cyberacme is the typical starting faction, and Sekiguchi are the creators of the Runner Shells.