Mainly the prices went up because Remington went bankrupt, so Marlin is / was out of business. Supply vs Demand.
Yes, Ruger now owns Marlin, but who knows when they will actually produce them, and what the quality will be.
From Marlin/Ruger's Website - "As you are likely aware, the Remington Outdoor Company recently faced some financial difficulties that forced it into an unfortunate bankruptcy. This proceeding resulted in the sale of all of the Company’s assets, including its intellectual property, brands, fixed assets, machinery, and tooling. Most liabilities, including open orders (even if pre-paid), warranty claims, and contractual obligations, were discharged by the bankruptcy proceeding.
Although a sad development for the legendary company and its loyal employees, we at Ruger are grateful for the opportunity it presented. We are thrilled with our acquisition of the Marlin Firearms Company - an iconic American firearms brand. We regard Marlin’s 150-year history of great, American-made firearms as nothing less than a perfect fit for Ruger. Together, we believe the two brands will stand as American icons in the firearms industry.
To be clear, our purchase of Marlin from Remington was not for an operational firearms manufacturing company, but rather for the assets associated with the Marlin brand. Specifically, the product designs, intellectual property, machinery and tooling required to make these great products.
Now that our purchase is complete, we have relocated the acquired Marlin assets to Ruger facilities. We also have begun the complex process of setting up production for new, Ruger-made, Marlin-branded firearms. There is much to learn and do, but we anticipate bringing these products to market in the second half of 2021. We ask that you please bear with us during this process, but rest assured we are committed to producing Marlin firearms with the same quality and attention to detail that is a hallmark of the Ruger brand. We are confident the resulting products will be something you and your members will enjoy and be proud to own.
At this stage, because we do not yet have parts, equipment, or expertise, we are unable to service existing Marlin firearms or honor any warranty offered by the Remington Outdoor Company. We hope you appreciate the constraints that limit our ability to take care of firearms made prior to our acquisition. In the future, we certainly will service Marlin firearms produced by Ruger utilizing the same high standards consumers have come to expect from Ruger for over 70 years."
Looks like we'll see them this year. I'd bet that Ruger will do justice to the levergun, just as they have done justice to the Single action. When they start rolling out of the factory, watch prices of the older ones fall. Watch the Remlin ones hit the dirt! That is my prediction.