Bungie is taking an uncompromising stance against cheating in its upcoming extraction shooter Marathon, announcing permanent bans with no second chances for offenders. In a detailed blog post, the developer outlined comprehensive anti-cheat measures including dedicated servers with full authority over player actions, a Fog of War system to prevent wall hacks, and integration with BattlEye kernel-level protection. The game launches March 5.

Beyond punishment, Bungie's technical approach aims to eliminate common exploits through server-side validation of movement, shooting, and inventory actions. The Fog of War system restricts client visibility to prevent ESP cheats and loot revealers, while BattlEye provides the same kernel-level protection used in Fortnite and Rainbow Six Siege. Players who disconnect can reconnect without penalty, and Bungie promises to restore starting gear if server issues prevent reconnection.

This aggressive anti-cheat strategy comes as Arc Raiders faces criticism for its three-strike system, which some players consider too lenient. By implementing permanent bans from the start, Bungie appears determined to avoid the cheating problems that have plagued other extraction shooters. A Server Slam preview event begins February 26, giving players an early look at these measures before the official launch.