Editorial correction — November 11, 2026: The original March 27 guide incorrectly described Cryo Archive as a Destiny 2 update and attributed specific extraction mechanics to Guardians. Those statements were false or unsupported. Cryo Archive belongs to Bungie's Marathon. We have rebuilt the guide from the developer's published rules, retaining the original URL and publication date.
How do you enter Marathon's Cryo Archive? At its March 2026 launch, you needed a Runner at Level 25, access to all six factions, and an equipped loadout worth 5,000 credits. That is the stated initial-entry checklist in Bungie's official Cryo Archive guide.
Entry checklist, explained
- Runner Level 25: meet the required character progression level before queueing.
- Six factions unlocked: finish the liaison contracts necessary to access all six.
- 5,000 credits in equipped gear: this is your loadout's value, not a separate payment or ticket fee.
- Crew of three: Bungie designed the area for three Runners, but solo players could use the matchmaking fill option.
Eligible players could claim a one-time sponsored gear kit from the Armory. Bungie positioned that kit as a way to test the zone without gambling your best equipment on the first visit.
These conditions describe the original March opening, not necessarily every later season's rules. Confirm today's requirements inside Marathon.
Understanding Cryo Archive's six wings
The action takes place on the first explorable deck of the abandoned UESC Marathon ship. Six wings connect to a central hub, with medical areas, cryopods and storage rooms around the ship. This layout is not a sequence of Destiny 2 quests.
Expect both hostile ship security and competing Runner teams. Bungie characterized the zone as high-intensity PvPvE with raid-style puzzles layered into an extraction shooter. That means route planning and an exit strategy matter alongside winning individual fights.
Security Clearance does not unlock everything
Security Clearance is a progression system inside each run. Interacting with the ship's systems raises your level; individual doors, supply rooms and exfils may each require particular clearance.
Our old article incorrectly claimed that every meaningful reward needed one universal Security Clearance Level 3. The official source does not support that rule. Instead, check the threshold for the particular system you are trying to use. Reaching a clearance level does not replace another requirement such as a specific Vault Key.
Seven Vaults and where keys came from
Bungie described seven secured Vaults with distinct challenges or entrance conditions. Each requires a matching Vault Key. Vault Keys could appear during higher-risk planet-side activities, elsewhere aboard the ship or among loot carried by defeated competitors.
Vault rewards include high-tier equipment, valuable materials and distinctive weapons. They are contested objectives, not guaranteed prizes simply for reaching an arbitrary timer or location marker.
For a sensible attempt, decide which vault you are trying to reach, whether your party has the corresponding key, and how much gear you are prepared to risk on the way out.
Extraction routes: know what is verified
Bungie stated that exfils inside Cryo Archive behave differently from those on planet-side maps and are less reliable. That warning is real. However, the original GameLogNews text asserted a universal three-and-a-half-minute countdown after finding an exit and a special Compiler-boss route without a verifiable source.
We have removed those exact instructions. Do not plan a run around an unverified fixed timer or an alleged guaranteed boss exit. Confirm the current mechanics using official patch notes and the live game's status indicators.
Contracts, rewards and schedule changes
At launch, the zone offered a rotating set of seven Cryo contracts through CyberAcme. Teams could reroll the active objective and receive high-rarity item rewards, with Codex progress carrying forward even when weekly contracts refreshed.
Initially, Bungie opened Cryo Archive on weekends. Its May 19 Update 1.0.9 changed availability to daily from May 21 through the end of Season 1, including specific Ranked Cryo periods. Those dates are historical and should not be treated as a perpetual opening schedule.
Watch the official launch trailer
The Cryo Archive launch trailer posted by PlayStation's verified account shows the real Marathon activity, rather than imagined Destiny 2 mechanics.
Primary sources: Bungie's March Cryo Archive overview, Marathon Update 1.0.9, and the official March 19 Cryo Archive press kit.