When I reviewed ARC Raiders, I said it was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, extraction shooters available today. High praise, for sure, but it’s not the lack of competition that endeared me to Embark Studios’ latest. It’s the high quality – the excellence of execution that makes it stand out even among all the incredible titles that have already been released this year.
And it seems I’m not the only one. I could tell you about the nearly 355,000 peak concurrent players on Steam over the weekend, which would have likely been higher were it not for server issues, but that’s old news. Instead, let’s talk about other metrics. This may shock you, but on top of earning glowing praise from players – 90 percent “Very Positive” on Steam based on about 42,200 user reviews and counting at this time – it’s also a hit among critics.
Based on the limited opinions available, ARC Raiders has an 87 Metascore based on 11 reviews. Opencritic is even more incredible – a 94 average out of 16 reviews, placing it among the highest rated games of the year. Again, it’s early days, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that average dropped by a few points as more reviews roll in. But it’s one of those rare occasions that a significant subset of players and critics agree that it’s an amazing experience.
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That’s reflected in the estimated sales, as well. Gamalytic, VG Insights and PlayTracker estimated about 2.1 million players on Steam alone. Embark has yet to announce official sales numbers, but given the popularity of ARC Raiders on PC alone, it’s clearly a commercial success when accounting for other platforms.
Thus, we return, once more, to the eternal query: How? Why? At this time of day, at this time of year, localized entirely within a gaming sphere that’s proven its disinterest in live-service titles, again and again? The answer is simple – make a good game and people will flock to it, especially when there’s a lack of worthwhile alternatives. But based on everything seen thus far for ARC Raiders – the praise for the chill nature of solo play, the intensity that comes from each encounter, the streamlined nature of the entire loop – there are actually three major reasons, outside of how great the gameplay is.
The first, and this has been obvious from the very first closed playtest: It’s easy to get into but difficult to master. A portent of video games that goes back to the days of Mario, but even more pronounced in a genre like this, where the risk of permanently losing progress is real. You could spend hours curating an incredible loadout with some of the best gear and lose it all on one bad run.
This provides much of the thrill in an extraction shooter. Finding exactly what you need in a run is one thing, but getting out with it alive, especially in an environment that takes no prisoners, is even better. However, again, losing it all because of things out of your control – other players, the ARC, one bad fall, etc – can feel terrible, especially when having to start from square one.
ARC Raiders mitigates this in numerous ways, from the Free Loadout system (which is yours to keep if you can extract safely with it) to Scrappy gathering resources for free after every round. It’s also incredibly easy after a few runs to earn enough Credits to outright buy the things you need, or at least the raw materials to craft them. And even if none of that matters – quest progress or nothing in your book – you’re constantly earning XP and unlocking new skills. The Rust Belt may let you down in numerous ways, but at least you’re making progress.
The second reason for its success ties once more into the appeal of extraction shooters: The shakeup of monotony. I’ve already talked about how solo play is a source of constant entertainment, where an ally one moment can become your worst nightmare in the next, or pitched battles against the ARC, leading to desperate, seemingly impossible extractions. I’ve had quiet moments where it’s possible to admire the environment and all the little details – have I mentioned the superb sound design?
However, there’s also a definite thrill to playing in Duos and Squads, which is a de facto bloodbath. It feels like the result of not just the gear collection but also the map knowledge accumulated thus far. PvP can be a real deal-breaker in games like these – there are already requests for a PvE-only mode, and say what you will about how unreasonable they can be, even Tarkov caved and gave players what they wanted.
In ARC Raiders, however, PvP feels like another essential part of Embark’s vision. For all the camaraderie in Speranza, there is an undercurrent of tension. The player’s first time in the settlement is one of caution and distrust, and for good reason. We don’t know everything about the vendors and their motives, and that extends to the residents, aka other players. It makes perfect sense that we’re all trying to kill each other when there are no restrictions. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this ties into the overarching story and lore.
Regardless, PvEvP is a fascinating experience in its own right. Working alongside other players to take down ARC that would ordinarily be difficult on your own. Constantly staying on the lookout for other squads, at times using the ARC against them to gain an advantage. It’s funny how wandering through a looted location can differ so drastically depending on whether you’re solo or playing with others. The latter inspires so much tension when it’s not a tool for tracking potential threats that it’s difficult not to get swept up in the excitement, loss of gear be damned.
The third and by no means final reason is the development team. Remember when ARC Raiders was first revealed as a co-op PvE shooter? Go back to that 2021 reveal trailer, and you can feel the potential that it contained, even if it looked far less focused and in keeping with the current game. That Embark took one long look at the title and realized it wasn’t fun, then spent several years finding that enjoyment is a testament to how much it cared about getting things right.
Even after the shift to an extraction shooter formula, it didn’t just push players to accept their vision. Playtests were held; feedback was solicited. Many thought it was good enough to warrant a shadow drop and sudden release back in June during Summer Game Fest, but the studio took its time to polish things even further.
It even decided against committing to a roadmap before launch. Obviously, plans were already in place (like what the next map would be), but the focus was on getting it out the door and ensuring smooth access before committing to anything after. That’s not even getting into all the gestures that showcase its player-first mentality. Giving out free Raider Tokens due to server troubles is great and all, but nabbing cheaters and returning any stolen loot, even if you didn’t report said cheaters? That’s the mark of a team that goes above and beyond to prove it cares.
The current roadmap is also as noteworthy as it is modest. New ARC machines, weapons, quests, an event, and a new map condition – all of this is in service of bolstering the current experience. I’m sure Embark will explore more drastic and experimental things down the line. For now, however, it’s making the base game even better.
Is ARC Raiders outright perfect? Not quite. Some resource stacks could be bigger, and the issue with graphical quality, where Low settings mean less foliage, thus giving you a better view of enemies, is mind-boggling. But Embark has proven that it understands what it wants ARC Raiders to be while remaining in touch with what players want. Boom – instant success. Whether that can be sustained over the long term is another matter entirely, but thus far, I maintain what I said before launch – this is the extraction shooter event of the year. Regardless of whether you like extraction shooters or not, it’s well worth a shot.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
