Will Marathon Run on Your PC? Expected System Requirements and Performance Forecast

Will Marathon Run on Your PC? Fast answers first (so you can decide now)

Pain point: You want to know if your current rig will run Bungie's Marathon at playable frame rates without chasing confusing, contradictory launch-day guides. This predictive guide cuts through the noise with a data-led forecast based on Bungie's PC history, late-2025 previews, and current 2026 hardware trends.

Executive summary — the short forecast

Based on Bungie's previous PC launches (notably Destiny 2), the latest Marathon preview footage, and how modern GPUs and APIs have evolved into early 2026, expect Marathon to:

• Target 60 FPS at 1440p for recommended settings on mid-to-high GPUs with ray tracing off.
• Demand modern GPUs with 10–16GB VRAM for high textures and detailed character shaders; 16GB+ becomes important for 4K and high-res texture packs.
• Make ray tracing a heavy optional feature — enabling path-traced-like reflections and advanced shadows will likely require top-tier GPUs and AI upscaling (DLSS/FSR).
• Be optimizable post-launch — Bungie’s pattern is a heavier early build followed by targeted patches and upscaler support.

Why this forecast — methodology & signals used

We built this guide from three pillars:

1. Bungie track record: Destiny 2 launched PC with optimization gaps that were fixed over time via patches, driver partnerships, and optional upscalers.
2. Preview footage and dev commentary (late 2025 / Jan 2026): recent vidocs and gameplay snippets show dense character models, high-resolution materials, and heavy particle/lighting work on Runner Shells.
3. 2026 hardware and platform trends: Wide adoption of hardware frame generation, AI upscalers, DirectStorage and DX12 Ultimate features that game studios use to push visual quality while keeping load times and streaming costs down.

“Marathon is out in less than two months... Yesterday, Bungie released a new vidoc focused on the ‘Runner Shells’ ...” — recent reporting shows visual fidelity is rising after earlier rough alphas.

Expected system requirements — predictive baseline (practical)

The list below is a forecast, not an official spec. Treat it as the best purchasing guidance you can act on today.

Minimum (1080p / 60 FPS, Low)

• GPU: Equivalent to a GTX 1650 Super / GTX 1060 level or entry RDNA 1 card (4–6GB VRAM). Expect to lower quality and disable advanced effects.
• CPU: 4 cores / 8 threads (modern 4c/8t with high clock), but performance will be CPU-bound in busy scenes.
• RAM: 16GB DDR4/DDR5.
• Storage: SATA SSD or small NVMe SSD, ~60–80 GB free space for base install.
• OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit.

Recommended (1440p / 60 FPS, High)

• GPU: Modern mid/high GPU with 10–12GB VRAM (roughly equivalent to 30/40-series or mid 6000/7000-class AMD cards in capability). Expect smooth high settings if ray tracing is off.
• CPU: 6–8 cores / 12–16 threads (high IPC and 3.8–4.6 GHz boost preferred).
• RAM: 16–32GB (32GB recommended for future-proofing and multitasking).
• Storage: NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen3+), with DirectStorage benefits if you have PCIe4 NVMe.

High-end / Ultra (4K / 60 FPS or 1440p / 120+ FPS)

• GPU: Top-tier GPUs with 16GB+ VRAM for max settings and ray tracing enabled. Expect this tier to use AI frame generation and upscalers to hit 60–120+ fps targets.
• CPU: 8–12+ cores with strong single-thread performance.
• RAM: 32GB+.
• Storage: High-speed NVMe, 1TB+ recommended for high-res texture packs and seasonal content.

Hardware specifics — GPU, CPU, VRAM, and why they matter for Marathon

GPU requirements and VRAM expectations

Preview footage emphasizes detailed character materials and lots of localized particle/lighting. Those elements increase VRAM demand. Practical VRAM guidance:

• 6–8GB VRAM: Functional at 1080p with low/medium textures.
• 10–12GB VRAM: The sweet spot for 1440p high settings without aggressive texture streaming.
• 16GB+ VRAM: Recommended for 4K, max textures, and high-res asset packs.

Expect ray tracing to add a significant VRAM and performance penalty — plan for at least the next tier up if you want RT on.

CPU: cores, threads, and single-thread performance

Marathon’s gameplay design (hero-based, likely lots of character state and local-level AI) means both single-thread speed and multi-core headroom matter. Bungie's Destiny 2 showed obvious CPU-side bottlenecks in large activities at launch; Marathon’s smaller match sizes may help, but expect:

• Competitive/Movement Modes: Sensitive to CPU latency — choose a high-clock 6–8 core chip for best results.
• Large PvE/Extraction Scenes: Multi-threading will matter; 8+ cores give headroom for background tasks and network handling.

Performance targets to aim for (how to set realistic expectations)

Use these targets when comparing your rig to the forecasted requirements:

• Competitive mode (esports-style): 1080p at 120–240 FPS on lowered settings — prioritize high single-thread CPU and GPU clocks over absolute visual fidelity.
• Casual/Story mode: 1440p at 60 FPS on high settings — this will be the most common experience for many PC players.
• Visual/Ultra mode: 4K at 60 FPS with ray tracing — expect to use DLSS/FSR frame generation to get there unless you have very high-end hardware.

Game optimization outlook — how Bungie will likely approach post-launch

Bungie’s pattern over the last decade is instructive:

• Ship a visually ambitious build that targets multiple platforms.
• Work with GPU vendors to add upscaler support (DLSS, FSR) and game-ready drivers in the weeks after launch.
• Push targeted patches for memory usage and 1% low stability once user telemetry is gathered.

That means early adopters may face a heavier load, but you should expect substantial optimization within 2–8 weeks post-launch. If you want the smoothest experience day one, aim for recommended or high-end hardware, and keep some patience for initial patches.

Actionable optimization checklist (before you play)

Do this to maximize performance on Marathon on day one:

1. Update GPU drivers — Use the latest WHQL drivers released around Marathon’s launch; vendors will likely push hotfixes for the title.
2. Install on NVMe — Prefer PCIe Gen3+ NVMe for fastest streaming and lowest hitching; DirectStorage benefits require NVMe and a modern API stack.
3. Enable upscalers — If available, use DLSS/FSR or equivalent for better fps/quality trade-offs; DLSS Frame Generation or FSR frame generation can dramatically boost perceived smoothness.
4. Lower shadow and crowd settings first — These often have the biggest CPU/GPU cost for smallest visual payoff.
5. Use a performance overlay — Monitor GPU/CPU utilization and 1% lows with RTSS/Afterburner; this shows which component is your bottleneck.
6. Switch to Game Mode and High Performance — On Windows, enable Game Mode, set power plan to high performance, and disable unnecessary background apps.
7. Consider hardware upgrades — If you're below the recommended spec, prioritize GPU (for visual fidelity) and NVMe SSD (to avoid stutters).

Benchmarking plan — how to test Marathon objectively

If you run your own tests or follow our benchmarks, use this approach:

• Run fixed-action sequences (the same map/time) for repeatability.
• Record average FPS, 1% lows, and frame time variance — 1% lows matter more for perceived smoothness than averages.
• Test across presets: Low, Medium, High, Ultra, and Ray Tracing On/Off.
• Test with upscalers and frame generation toggled to see the real-world gains vs artifacts.

Buying guidance — choose a GPU/CPU for Marathon in 2026

Short buying guide depending on your goals:

• On a budget and prioritize 1080p 60–144Hz: Target a current-gen entry/mid-level GPU with 6–8GB VRAM and a 6-core CPU.
• Most players (best value): A mid/high-tier GPU with 10–12GB VRAM + 6–8 core CPU; 16GB RAM and NVMe SSD.
• Competitive/High refresh: High single-thread CPU (6–8c high-clock), a fast mid/high GPU, and 32GB RAM for minimum background headroom.
• Future-proof / 4K / RT: Top-tier GPU (16GB+), 8–12 core CPU, 32–64GB RAM, PCIe4 NVMe SSD.

Potential red flags & what to watch for at launch

• Memory leaks and rising RAM usage: Bungie has patched similar issues in past launches; monitor memory usage during play sessions.
• Multiplayer sync and stutter: frame spikes can occur when the client processes heavy network events — this is a CPU-related pain point.
• Feature parity between consoles and PC: High-fidelity console ports can push PC into heavy optimization needed territory if not carefully scaled.

2026 trends that will influence Marathon’s PC performance

Here are the macro trends that shape our forecast:

• AI upscalers & frame generation — These are widely supported by mid-2025/early-2026 and will be deployed as a primary performance lever.
• DirectStorage and streaming tech — Developers rely on faster NVMe streaming to reduce memory overhead and streaming stutters; slower storage will produce more hitching.
• Multi-core CPU improvements — Games in 2026 assume 6–8 effective cores for reliable performance headroom.
• Driver hotfix culture — GPU vendors now launch targeted game-ready drivers quickly, so expect rapid performance improvements in the first month.

Case study: Bungie’s Destiny 2 launch lessons applied

Destiny 2’s early PC era is a reliable signal. Key takeaways we applied to this forecast:

• Bungie prioritized cross-platform parity and later tuned PC-specific graphics options — expect Marathon to ship with many toggles to help PC players dial in performance.
• Upstream optimization (driver/upscaler support) reduced GPU requirements over time — that pattern will likely repeat.
• Netcode and large activity desyncs were patched over quarters — Marathon’s extraction format could surface similar edge-case spikes that Bungie will patch after gathering telemetry.

Final verdict — should you upgrade before launch?

If your rig sits near or below the minimum forecast, don’t expect a great day-one experience: plan upgrades if you're targeting 1440p high settings or 4K. If you already have a mid-tier modern GPU (10–12GB VRAM) and a 6–8 core CPU, you should be fine for recommended settings and can rely on early post-launch patches to smooth remaining issues.

Actionable takeaways — what to do right now

• Compare your GPU VRAM and CPU cores to the tiers above; prioritize a GPU upgrade if you want 1440p/60+ with high textures.
• Free up NVMe space and update Windows / GPU drivers before launch.
• Plan to toggle ray tracing off for best day-one performance unless you have a 16GB+ flagship GPU and use frame generation/upscalers.
• Follow our live benchmarks and driver hotfix updates in the first two weeks post-launch before making additional purchases.

Where we’ll update you

We’ll publish a comprehensive benchmark roundup the week after Marathon’s launch with 1080p/1440p/4K charts, 1% low analysis, and an upscaler artifact gallery. Subscribe to our newsletter and join our Discord for real-time results and optimization advice.

Closing thoughts — balancing visuals and performance

Bungie is aiming for a visually ambitious runner/shooter hybrid that pushes detailed character work and lighting. That ambition will increase system demands, but modern upscalers, DirectStorage, and rapid post-launch driver support tip the balance in favor of playable performance even on mid-range rigs. If you plan your hardware choices using the pragmatic tiers above, you can prioritize the experience you care about: competitive framerate or max visual fidelity.

Call to action

Want tailored guidance? Tell us your rig in the comment thread or our Discord and we’ll recommend the exact settings and the most cost-effective upgrade path for Marathon. Sign up for our launch-day benchmark alert to get tested frame rates the moment Marathon goes live.

Related Reading

• Serving responsive images & cloud‑gaming delivery (2026)
• Portable streaming rigs & live game capture (field review)
• Observability & telemetry practices for game teams (2026)
• Home routers that survived our stress tests (network advice for low-latency play)
• From Microdramas to Monetization: Building Episodic Vertical Series Creatively and Economically
• Galleries as Outreach Hubs: Pairing Exhibitions With Harm Reduction Training
• Prepare for the Instagram/Meta Password Fiasco: Safeguarding Ad Accounts and Customer Data
• Teaching Ethics in On-Screen Medical Care: A Unit Based on The Pitt
• Designing a Course: Supply Chain & Warehouse Automation 2026