ARC Raiders launches strong with 260,000+ player count on the Steam charts, even with Battlefield 6 REDSEC competition — I’m jazzed it’s finally here

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This fall is shaping up to be huge for first-person shooter games. With the recent release of Battlefield 6 and the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launching in just a few weeks, players are anticipating a major showdown. But before those two giants clash, ARC Raiders has arrived and is already proving to be incredibly popular.

I noticed a brand new game launched on Thursday – it’s from Embark Studios, the creators of the popular shooter *The Finals*. It’s a PvPvE extraction shooter, meaning you compete against other players while also battling AI enemies, and it’s available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5. It’s taken off quickly, and right now it’s one of the most popular games people are playing on Steam.

Currently, ARC Raiders has over 260,000 players online on Steam, making it the fourth most popular game on the platform. It’s performing well, surpassing PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS in player count and trailing behind Battlefield 2042 and its free-to-play REDSEC mode. While we don’t have numbers for other platforms, it’s likely ARC Raiders is gaining popularity there too.

Both PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS and Battlefield REDSEC are battle royale games with gameplay very similar to extraction shooters. The recent success of ARC Raiders, launching just a few days ago, demonstrates significant player interest in the genre, even with strong competition from established titles like PUBG and Battlefield.

ARC Raiders had a strong launch, which was expected considering the significant buzz surrounding the game in the weeks and months before it released. It was one of the most anticipated multiplayer shooters of 2025, and the initial performance reflects that excitement.

The recent excitement surrounding the game is largely thanks to several test phases Embark Studios ran. They started with small, invite-only betas last year and this spring, then launched a larger public test called the “Server Slam” earlier this month. This test was hugely popular, peaking at almost 200,000 players and giving a good indication of how well the game would perform at launch – which is exactly what we’re seeing now.

I don’t usually play PvP, extraction shooters, or battle royales, but I still really had fun with ARC Raiders and I’m excited to play it now that it’s been released.

I got to try the game both during the Server Slam and at a preview event with my colleague, Michael Hoglund – we both really enjoyed it! I don’t usually play PvP, extraction shooters, or battle royales, but this game was surprisingly fun, and I’m excited to play it now that it’s officially released.

The game offers exciting combat against AI robots called “ARC,” combined with smooth and responsive third-person shooting. It’s easy to see what’s happening on screen, and the core gameplay loop of finding loot, battling enemies, and escaping with your rewards is well-balanced and encourages fun interactions with other players. The game’s systems and map layouts are designed to make those player encounters enjoyable.

I really love the game’s old-school sci-fi look. The rough, weathered designs stand out against the 80s electronic music and perfectly match the game’s world after the disaster.

ARC Raiders has had a fantastic launch, with players enjoying the game and leaving overwhelmingly positive reviews. So far, over 3,100 Steam users have shared their thoughts, and an impressive 89% of those reviews are positive, earning the game a “Very Positive” rating on the platform.

ARC Raiders has quickly become a top seller on Steam, surpassing Battlefield 6 and taking the number one spot. It’s currently selling better than other popular new releases like Dispatch and The Outer Worlds 2.

It’s still early to say if the game will maintain this excitement, but so far, ARC Raiders looks like it could be one of the best games of the year.

It’s still early to say if ARC Raiders can maintain this early success, but so far it looks like it could be one of the year’s top games. Despite competition from popular shooters like Battlefield and Call of Duty, ARC Raiders is poised to become a major player.

You can now play ARC Raiders on Xbox Series X|S, PC (through Steam or the Epic Games Store), and PlayStation 5 for $40. If you’re a PC gamer, you can find it for $34.99 at Loaded (previously CDKeys) – a $5 discount off the regular price, which is a good deal for a brand-new game.

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2025-10-30 23:41