The Research and Development contract in Marathon is a Faction Contract that locks completion to one specific map and one specific time of day. If you keep loading in and the objective never registers, the cause is almost always timing rather than the objectives themselves.
Requirements to complete the Research and Development contract
Before you commit a run, line up these conditions. Missing the night window is the single most common reason the contract fails to progress, even when every objective is done.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Map | Dire Marsh only |
| Time of day | Nighttime |
| Faction | CyberAcme (CyAc) |
| Shell | One of the six default Shells (the Rook Runner Shell cannot complete Contracts) |
| Finish step | Successful exfil or end of run, then turn in at the Contract page |
How to accept and start the contract
Step 1: Open the main menu and choose the Factions option. Select the CyAc icon to open the CyberAcme Faction page, since this contract sits under that Faction.
Step 2: On the left-hand side, open the Contracts tab. You will see the contract slots, including the highlighted main slot bordered in green and a second slot with no highlight.
Step 3: Hover over the contract and choose Show Story & Rewards to preview the objectives and the reputation and item rewards before you accept it. If you do not want the current non-highlighted contract, you can reroll it, with up to ten rerolls per week.
Find the objective locations inside Dire Marsh
Objective items are not pinned on your map by default, so you need to surface where they spawn. Two in-game checks will tell you where to go.
Step 1: Hover over the objective text on the contract. It usually adds extra detail, such as which region of the map the target appears in.
Step 2: Load into Dire Marsh, open your map, hover over a region, and select More Info. A panel on the right lists what is Guaranteed or Sporadic in that region, so you can head straight to the area that reliably has your target.
Turn in the contract and confirm completion
Finishing the objectives alone does not credit the contract. You complete it after the run ends, whether you exfil successfully or die during the run.
Step 1: Once the run is over, return to the CyAc Contracts page where you accepted the contract.
Step 2: Click the finished contract to turn it in. You will receive the Faction Reputation and the listed rewards, which confirms the contract registered correctly.
If it does not show as finished, the usual reasons are that you were not in Dire Marsh at night, you ran the Rook Runner Shell, or one objective was not actually completed during the run.
Why this contract matters for CyberAcme progression
CyberAcme is the first Faction available to you, led by the AI known as ONI. Building reputation with CyAc unlocks practical upgrades such as faster looting and more heat resistance, and it expands the Faction's Armory so you can buy rarer gear as your standing grows. Clearing contracts like this one is the steady way to push that reputation higher and keep working toward unlocking additional Factions.