Embark Studios just dropped the launch trailer for Arc Raiders, and the hype is real. The extraction shooter launches October 30, 2025, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. What makes this particularly impressive is that during the recent Server Slam open beta, the game peaked at nearly 190,000 concurrent players on Steam alone, despite requiring a purchase at launch and competing against established free-to-play alternatives.
The launch trailer sets the tone with its gritty post-apocalyptic atmosphere. Players see Raiders rushing through closing doors, scavenging the wasteland above ground while deadly ARC machines patrol the ruins. The tagline is simple but effective – “enlist. resist.” Earth has been devastated by mechanized threats called ARC, and humanity’s survivors hide underground in colonies like Speranza, venturing topside only to scavenge resources necessary for survival.
The Server Slam That Broke Records
Arc Raiders held its final open beta, called Server Slam, from October 17 to 20, and the numbers were staggering. The game peaked at 189,668 concurrent players on Steam, making it the fourth most-played game on the platform that weekend, ahead of PUBG, Rust, and other established titles. For context, other extraction shooters have never come close. Arena Breakout Infinite peaked at 66,007 players, Gray Zone Warfare at 72,548, and Dark and Darker at 57,164.
What makes those numbers even more remarkable is that Arc Raiders will cost money at launch. The standard edition runs 39.99 dollars, with a deluxe edition priced at 59.99 dollars. Despite this premium pricing in a genre dominated by free-to-play titles, players showed up in droves. And that was just Steam – the beta was also available on Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, meaning total concurrent players across all platforms was likely well over 250,000.
What Makes Arc Raiders Different
Embark Studios calls Arc Raiders an extraction adventure rather than an extraction shooter, and the distinction matters. While games like Escape from Tarkov or Hunt Showdown focus heavily on hardcore PvP encounters with light PvE elements, Arc Raiders flips that balance. The ARC machines are genuinely threatening enemies that demand respect and strategy, not just environmental hazards to ignore while hunting other players.
During the Server Slam, players fired 30 million rounds and got knocked down by the Rocketeer ARC enemy 2.3 million times. Another 26,676 unfortunate souls got toppled by lightning. These aren’t passive obstacles – they’re dynamic threats that force players to adapt tactics on the fly. The game features third-person perspective rather than first-person, giving better spatial awareness when dealing with these machine patrols and environmental dangers.
The Extraction Mechanics
Extraction in Arc Raiders works differently than most games in the genre. The primary extraction points are evacuation elevators and metro stations, but they come with serious drawbacks. Activating them takes 45 seconds and makes a lot of noise, alerting every player and ARC machine in the area. You then have to physically interact with a console inside to confirm extraction, giving hostile forces plenty of time to converge on your position.
The safer alternative is Raider Hatches, which require special keys to unlock but allow instant silent extraction for your entire squad once opened. However, these keys are valuable loot that not every team will find. Adding urgency to the equation, extraction points shut down over time as matches progress. You might enter a map with 30 minutes and multiple extraction options, but wait too long and your choices dwindle rapidly.
Progression and Loot Systems
The Server Slam represented only 10 to 15 percent of the full game’s progression system according to executive producer interviews. Players experienced just one map out of four planned for launch, giving a taste of the Rust Belt region where deadly ARC machines roam and loot is scarce. The full game promises significantly deeper progression tied to the colony of Speranza, where players earn their keep by bringing back valuable salvage from topside runs.
Weapons fire physics-based projectiles with bullet drop rather than casual hitscan mechanics. Combat feels visceral and weighty, with excellent sound design and clear feedback when landing hits. The health system uses force field armor that produces electric effects when damaged, making it obvious when you’ve connected with enemy players. PC Gamer journalists who played both Marathon and Arc Raiders back-to-back reported Arc Raiders felt significantly more engaging, particularly praising the progression systems and PvE encounters.
Small Team Big Ambition
Perhaps most impressive is that Arc Raiders comes from a relatively small development team. Embark Studios, the developer behind The Finals, has only about 60 dedicated developers working on Arc Raiders, with just six environment artists creating the expansive maps. The studio achieves this efficiency through photogrammetry technology that captures real-world environments and transforms them into game assets, significantly speeding up the creation of detailed landscapes.
Embark was founded by former Battlefield developers, and that pedigree shows in the environmental destruction and large-scale combat design. The studio made waves with The Finals, a free-to-play first-person shooter featuring fully destructible environments powered by Unreal Engine 5. Arc Raiders uses similar technology, allowing walls to crumble under fire and entire structures to collapse mid-fight, fundamentally changing how players approach combat compared to static environments in other extraction shooters.
Launch Details and Editions
Arc Raiders launches globally on October 30, 2025 at 3:00 AM Pacific Time, 6:00 AM Eastern Time, 10:00 AM GMT, and corresponding times worldwide. There is no early access period regardless of which edition you purchase. Everyone starts playing simultaneously once servers go live across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Steam, and Epic Games Store.
The standard edition costs 39.99 dollars and includes just the base game. The deluxe edition runs 59.99 dollars and adds the Wanderer cosmetic set with legendary outfit and Pathfinder backpack, character cosmetics including a lip scar, finger gun emote, Cowboy Scrappy body skin, and 2,400 Raider Tokens for in-game purchases. Pre-orders are currently available through all digital storefronts.
Post-Launch Support Plans
Embark Studios responded quickly to Server Slam feedback, working around the clock to implement fixes before launch. The team addressed stability issues across all platforms, made balance adjustments to weapons and enemies, and tuned visual performance settings. The developer acknowledges that default graphics settings favored performance over fidelity during the beta and is working to strike a better balance for launch.
One persistent issue involves foliage disappearing on low graphics settings, giving players with weaker hardware an unfair advantage by removing visual cover. Embark is addressing this alongside other visual parity concerns. The studio also collected data on the 816,162 rubber ducks players found during Server Slam, though what purpose those serve in the full game remains mysterious.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Arc Raiders release?
Arc Raiders launches October 30, 2025 at 3:00 AM Pacific Time across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. There is no early access period.
How much does Arc Raiders cost?
The standard edition costs 39.99 dollars while the deluxe edition runs 59.99 dollars. Arc Raiders is not free-to-play despite originally being announced as such. The developers shifted to a premium model during development.
What platforms is Arc Raiders available on?
Arc Raiders launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Steam, and Epic Games Store. There are no plans for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One versions due to hardware limitations.
Is Arc Raiders free-to-play?
No, Arc Raiders requires purchase at launch. The game was originally announced as free-to-play in 2021 but shifted to a premium purchase model during development as the studio changed from cooperative PvE to competitive PvPvE extraction gameplay.
Who makes Arc Raiders?
Embark Studios develops Arc Raiders. The Stockholm-based studio was founded by former Battlefield developers and also created The Finals. Only about 60 developers work on Arc Raiders, making it a relatively small team for such an ambitious project.
What is extraction adventure versus extraction shooter?
Embark Studios calls Arc Raiders an extraction adventure to emphasize the balance between PvE and PvP. Unlike hardcore extraction shooters that focus primarily on player combat, Arc Raiders features genuinely threatening AI enemies and emergent gameplay opportunities beyond just shooting other players.
Can I still play the beta?
No, the Server Slam beta ended on October 20, 2025. There are no additional testing periods planned before the October 30 launch. Players who want to try Arc Raiders will need to purchase it at release.
How many maps are at launch?
Arc Raiders launches with four maps set in the Rust Belt region. The Server Slam beta featured just one map, representing 10 to 15 percent of the full game’s content and progression systems.
Why This Launch Matters
Arc Raiders arrives at a crucial moment for the extraction shooter genre. Escape from Tarkov remains niche despite its influence. Hunt Showdown has loyal fans but hasn’t broken into mainstream popularity. Marathon got delayed indefinitely after lukewarm alpha reception. The genre desperately needs a breakout hit that proves extraction mechanics can appeal beyond hardcore audiences.
The Server Slam numbers suggest Arc Raiders might be that game. Nearly 190,000 concurrent players on Steam alone, for a premium title still weeks from launch, indicates genuine mainstream interest. Players who normally avoid extraction shooters report Arc Raiders feels more accessible without sacrificing depth. The third-person perspective, clear visual feedback, and balanced PvPvE gameplay create an experience that respects both casual and hardcore players.
Embark Studios has momentum. The Finals surprised everyone by attracting millions of players despite launching against juggernauts like Modern Warfare 3. The studio understands how to create viral moments through destructible environments and emergent gameplay. If Arc Raiders can maintain server stability at launch and deliver on the content promises, it has a real shot at becoming 2025’s surprise multiplayer hit.
October 30 can’t come fast enough for the thousands who played Server Slam and immediately wanted more. The launch trailer captures that desperate survival atmosphere perfectly – Raiders scrambling through closing doors, knowing death waits above ground but extraction means everything. Whether Arc Raiders becomes the genre-defining extraction shooter remains to be seen, but the early signs point to something special brewing in those post-apocalyptic wastelands.