ARC Raiders

Last updated

ARC Raiders
Arc Raiders cover art.jpg
Developer Embark Studios
Publisher Embark Studios
Composers
Engine Unreal Engine 5
Platforms
ReleaseOctober 30, 2025
Genres Dystopian
Extraction shooter
Mode Multiplayer

ARC Raiders is a 2025 dystopian extraction shooter developed and published by Embark Studios for the platforms PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S, built on the game engine Unreal Engine 5. It can be played solo, or in teams of two or three. The game has received generally favorable reviews from critics, and it was awarded Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards 2025.

Contents

Gameplay

In ARC Raiders, players must fight hostile robots and other human players. Arc Raiders gameplay screenshot.jpg
In ARC Raiders, players must fight hostile robots and other human players.

ARC Raiders is an extraction shooter played from third-person. [2] Players leave the underground base and search for items on the planet's surface for 30 minutes. During the raid they will encounter hostile NPC robots (known as "ARC"), along with other human players. When a player is killed, they will lose any equipment and materials they have collected, except loot stored in a safe pocket, and return to base. Players can escape via extraction elevators, metro stations and air shafts or alternatively use raider hatches (Safer extraction points that require keys to be opened) to return to base when they are done collecting loot. [3]

After returning to the underground base, players can sell items, upgrade their character perks and skills, buy items, or craft weapons and items such as gadgets and armor to prepare for the next raid. [4] Players can also engage in quests with the game's various vendors; these usually entail seeking out special items or visiting locations while on the surface. [5]

When entering a match alone, the matchmaking system generally adjusts to place the player against other solo players, making fair and balanced possible player-versus-player (PvP) encounters common, yet not guaranteed. [6] On November 12, 2025, a similar update was deployed for players playing in groups of two. [7]

Setting

ARC Raiders takes place on Earth in the year 2180. Decades earlier, hostile machines of unknown origin, called "ARC" after the telltale shape of their radar signatures, descended from outer space and began attacking humanity. After years of warfare, surviving humans were forced underground to avoid extermination, leaving the surface to be harvested for mineral resources by ARC. One human safe haven is Toledo, a makeshift subterranean city that consists of a network of autonomous communities or "contradas" located beneath a region known as the Rust Belt in post-apocalyptic Italy. [8] The player is a "raider" from Speranza, one of Toledo's contradas. Raiders are individuals who voluntarily go above ground, referred to as "Topside", during periods of low ARC activity in order to scavenge resources, such as goods from the old world and components from downed ARC machines, to sell, trade, and keep Speranza functioning. Although raiders are encouraged to cooperate, raiding is unregulated and some raiders choose to hunt and steal from each other.

Development and release

ARC Raiders is developed by The Finals developer Embark Studios. The game was officially announced at The Game Awards 2021 as a free-to-play "cooperative third-person shooter". [9] It was revealed in 2023 that the genre of the game had been changed to a PvPvE extraction shooter. [10] Later in 2023 Embark launched a first playtest in the form of a closed Alpha with strict NDA. The game uses Unreal Engine 5. [11] [12]

The game resurfaced in 2024, with Embark launching a new public playtest known as "ARC Raiders Tech Test" on October 24 and "ARC Raiders Tech Test 2" on April 30, 2025, with Embark Studios announcing that the game was dropping its free-to-play model and would be available for purchase at $40 on release. Embark Studios conducted a "Server Slam" from October 17 to 20, allowing players to test a portion of the game for free before the final release.

The game was released on October 30, 2025, for Windows, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. [13] ARC Raiders has since received eleven major patches, with 1.11.0 launching on January 13, 2026. [14] Patches have primarily focused on bug fixes, resolving gameplay exploits, and balance.

Reception

Critical reception

ARC Raiders received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator website Metacritic [15] [16] [17] Review aggregator OpenCritic reported that 92% of critics recommend the game. [18]

Destructoid 's Scott Duwe called the game "simultaneously one of the most technically impressive games of 2025 and one that genre veterans and newbies alike can find a ton of fun in." [19] Alex Van Aken review on Game Informer concluded that "Despite my misgivings, I hold the human-made experience of Arc Raiders in high regard. Its creators have made an intriguing world full of curiosities and payoffs. Nearly every match yields a memorable sequence: an unexpected encounter, a dramatic escape, a hilarious interaction, or a tragic end. While casual gamers may find its harsh consequences frustrating, Arc Raiders provides an impressive setting and format for multiplayer fans seeking excellent engagements and novel interactions." [21] Mark Delaney for GameSpot said that the game "...is an extraction shooter unlike any other, a totally unpredictable, immersive, thrilling story generator directed by the community." [22] James Nouch's summary on GamesRadar was "By sanding down some of the roughest edges of the genre, Arc Raiders delivers an extraction experience that manages to be approachable while still being palpably tense, incredibly dramatic, and occasionally kinda heartwarming. If you're new to the genre, this is the place to start." [23]

The closing comments with Cory Wells for Hardcore Gamer were "No extraction shooter stands out as much as ARC Raiders. The game can seem overwhelming at first as there isn't much direction, and the user interface feels like it's meant for a mouse and keyboard and not a controller. Once you leave Speranza and hop into the world, experience the atmosphere and the gunplay while meeting some people along the way, however, the experience quickly gets up to speed. If you're going solo, it's worth matchmaking and finding someone to lean on for certain things. The user interface offers small font with no direction and you'll miss key elements. The game runs and looks spectacular and offers a soundtrack that isn't from this universe. If you haven't tried an extraction adventure/shooter before and missed the boat on Helldivers 2 , this is the one to get into." [24] The verdict Travis Northup for IGN wrote was "With polished gunplay and an irresistible grind, ARC Raiders sets a new standard for extraction shooters." [25] Writing for PC Gamer , Elie Gould said that the game "...is a genuinely enjoyable extraction shooter thanks to interesting weapons, beautiful maps, and unpredictable, action-packed PvPvE encounters." [26] "ARC Raiders has well and truly been worth the wait. This is a phenomenal showcase of what immersive multiplayer can be. Every run is different, and your squad will come out with stories to tell each time. It can be tougher on those planning to play solo, and the extraction loop won't be for everyone. But as far as extraction shooters go, this is one of the most accessible, and it respects your time, giving you a fun experience from your first match. We can easily say that ARC Raiders is one of the best multiplayer games this generation." was Aaron Bayne's conclusion for Push Square . [27]

Sales

Concurrent players count on Steam reached 250,000 on its launch day. [28] By November 10, 2025, the concurrent player count had reached over 700,000 across all platforms, according to the developer. [29] By November 11, 2025, ARC Raiders had sold over four million copies worldwide. [30] According to Rhys Elliot of Alinea Analytics, ARC Raiders had sold over 12 million copies worldwide as of January 2026. [31]

AI use

In Eurogamer 's review of ARC Raiders, Rick Lane criticized the game's use of artificial intelligence (AI) for text-to-speech, stating the "generated voice lines" for non-player characters are mediocre. [20] Embark Studios previously received similar criticism for their use of AI voices in The Finals. [32] Some fans accused the developer of attempting to replace voice actors with this technology, while others were more open to it. [33] [32] Embark Studios denied the use of generative AI, saying the game uses audio recorded by hired voice actors and text-to-speech as part of their contract. [33] [32] The CEO of Embark Studios' parent company, Junghun Lee, highlighted the value of human creativity while noting "it's important to assume that every game company is now using AI." The latter statement has resulted in several indie developers noting the lack of AI in their games. [34] Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani found ARC Raiders' use of AI to generate players' voices to be helpful to people reluctant to use their own voice. [35]

Awards

YearAwardCategoryResultRef.
2025 The Game Awards Best Multiplayer GameWon [36]
The Steam Awards Game of the YearNominated [37]
Most Innovative GameplayWon
2026 D.I.C.E. Awards Game of the Year Pending [38]
Action Game of the Year Pending
Online Game of the Year Pending
Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design Pending
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design Pending
Outstanding Technical Achievement Pending
British Academy Games Awards Best Game Longlisted [39]
Audio Achievement Longlisted
Multiplayer Longlisted
Music Longlisted
New Intellectual Property Longlisted
Technical Achievement Longlisted

References

Notes
  1. ↑ Based on 63 reviews
  2. ↑ Based on 22 reviews
  3. ↑ Based on 9 reviews
Footnotes
  1. 1 2 "ARC Raiders (Original Video Game Soundtrack)". Bandcamp . Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  2. ↑ Saed, Sherif (April 29, 2025). "Arc Raiders is already one of the most polished and immediately satisfying extraction shooters, and it's not even out yet". VG247 . Archived from the original on April 30, 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  3. ↑ Petty, Jared (May 1, 2025). "ARC Raiders Is the Most 'It's Fine' Game We've Played in a While". IGN . Archived from the original on April 29, 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  4. ↑ Van Aken, Alex (May 2, 2025). "ARC Raiders Impressions: The Most-Promising Extraction Shooter I've Played". Game Informer . Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  5. ↑ "All Arc Raiders Quests - Full Mission List". GameSpot. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  6. ↑ Singh, Samarveer (October 30, 2025). "Arc Raiders is surprisingly welcome to solo players with these 4 features". XDA. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  7. ↑ Valentine, Jake (November 12, 2025). "ARC Raiders Duo Queues Are Finally Available Today". DualShockers. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  8. ↑ Serino, Francesco (October 29, 2025). "Abbiamo provato l'ultimissima versione di Arc Raiders e ne siamo sempre più innamorati" . Retrieved November 5, 2025.
  9. ↑ Nunneley-Jackson, Stephanny (December 10, 2021). "Cooperative shooter Arc Raiders from former EA dev revealed at The Game Awards". VG247 . Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  10. ↑ Romano, Sal (May 16, 2023). "ARC Raiders genre changed to PvPvE extraction shooter". Gematsu. Archived from the original on April 26, 2025. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  11. ↑ Nadeem, Muhib (October 29, 2025). "Best Arc Raiders Settings for FPS – Maximize Performance & Visibility - Hone Blog" . Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  12. ↑ Palumbo, Alessio (April 29, 2025). "ARC Raiders Tech Test Hands-on - Promising Extractions". Wccftech. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  13. ↑ Wales, Matt (August 20, 2024). "The Finals studio's PvPvE shooter ARC Raiders resurfaces, and it's no longer free-to-play". Eurogamer . Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  14. ↑ "January Update 1.11.0". ARC Raiders. January 13, 2026.
  15. 1 2 "ARC Raiders for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  16. 1 2 "ARC Raiders for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  17. 1 2 "ARC Raiders for Xbox Series X/S Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  18. 1 2 "ARC Raiders". OpenCritic. November 5, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  19. 1 2 Duwe, Scott (November 4, 2025). "ARC Raiders review – The risk finally rewards a stellar experience". Destructoid . Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  20. 1 2 Lane, Rick (November 10, 2025). "Arc Raiders review - a smartly designed extraction shooter marred by one inexcusable decision". Eurogamer . Retrieved November 10, 2025.
  21. 1 2 Van Aken, Alex (November 11, 2025). "Arc Raiders Review - Consequential And Worthwhile Multiplayer". Game Informer . Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  22. 1 2 Delaney, Mark (November 4, 2025). "Arc Raiders Review - Stronger Together". GameSpot . Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  23. 1 2 Nouch, James (November 7, 2025). "Arc Raiders review: "The most memorable multiplayer experiences I've had all year – this shooter is tense but wonderfully approachable"". GamesRadar . Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  24. 1 2 Wells, Cory (November 7, 2025). "Review: ARC Raiders". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  25. 1 2 Northup, Travis (November 11, 2025). "ARC Raiders Review". IGN . Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  26. 1 2 Gould, Elie (November 6, 2025). "Arc Raiders review". PC Gamer . Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  27. 1 2 Bayne, Aaron (October 31, 2025). "ARC Raiders Review (PS5)". Push Square . Retrieved October 31, 2025.
  28. ↑ Blake, Vikki (October 31, 2025). "Arc Raiders Is Already One of the Biggest Extraction Shooters Ever on Steam". IGN . Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Launch Thank You!". ARC Raiders. Embark Studios. November 10, 2025. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
  30. ↑ Pabriga, Cedric (November 11, 2025). "ARC Raiders Crosses 4 Million Copies Sold Worldwide". Gaming News.
  31. ↑ Anthony McGlynn (January 5, 2026). ""What a ride": Arc Raiders just hit 12 million copies sold, analyst estimates, and set a new record for active players 2 months after launch". GamesRadar+. Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  32. 1 2 3 Notis, Ari (October 31, 2025). "Arc Raiders' use of AI voices is The Finals controversy all over again". Polygon. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  33. 1 2 Serin, Kaan (October 30, 2025). "Arc Raiders devs "don't use generative AI," CCO says AI text-to-speech is used to help "make rich worlds" while keeping the studio small but "there's no end goal in replacing any actors"". GamesRadar+ . Retrieved November 18, 2025.
  34. ↑ Gerblick, Jordan (November 12, 2025). ""We would rather cut off our own arms": Indie devs react to Arc Raiders CEO saying people should assume everyone's using generative AI these days". GamesRadar+. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  35. ↑ Brown, Fraser (November 14, 2025). "Arrowhead CEO wades into the messy Arc Raiders AI debate: 'Would it have been better if Arc Raiders failed and it didn't use AI?'". PC Gamer. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  36. ↑ Lewis, Claire (December 11, 2025). "Here are all The Game Awards 2025 winners". Polygon . Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  37. ↑ "The Steam Awards 2025". store.steampowered.com. Steam . Retrieved December 18, 2025.
  38. ↑ LeBlanc, Wesley (January 8, 2026). "The 29th DICE Awards Nominees Have Been Revealed, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 And Ghost Of Yōtei Lead The Pack". Game Informer . Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  39. ↑ McGowen, Andrew (December 9, 2025). "'Indiana Jones and the Great Circle,' 'Ghost of Yōtei' and 'Split Fiction' Among Best Game Contenders in 2026 BAFTA Games Awards Longlist". Variety . Retrieved December 10, 2025.
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