Arc Raiders was one of 2025’s biggest success stories in gaming, and it’s keeping up the momentum in 2026, with January 4 becoming the game’s biggest day ever in terms of daily users. The game was originally going to be a free-to-play title, but it changed to $40 ahead of launch. Why $40? Embark Studios boss Patrick Soderlund said in an interview that the decision to switch from free to premium came after the team saw the success of Helldivers 2, which was also priced at $40.
“We basically looked at games like Helldivers and other games and decided, ‘OK, that is where we should sit,'” he told GamesBeat (via Eurogamer). “We made that decision, whether that was right or wrong one can argue. I like the fact that the game is relatively affordable and that people can come in and try the game.”
The executive added that $40 was the right price for Arc Raiders also because it helped the game avoid being an “offender” for players. The game has no campaign and is 100% multiplayer.
