According to KitGuru.net, Arc Raiders has officially surpassed Helldivers 2’s all-time concurrent player record on Steam. The game launched earlier this month with around 300,000 concurrent players over its launch weekend and has only grown since then. Helldivers 2 previously held the record with just under 459,000 peak concurrent players, but Arc Raiders managed to beat that with 462,000 players measured over the weekend. Both games are extraction shooters but take different approaches, with Helldivers 2 being more PvE focused while Arc Raiders has significant PvP elements. Embark Studios, the developer behind Arc Raiders, previously released The Finals which also had a strong launch before tapering off. Unlike The Finals, Arc Raiders isn’t free-to-play and carries a $40 price tag, similar to other extraction shooters in the market.
The paid gaming comeback
Here’s what’s really interesting about Arc Raiders‘ success. We’re seeing a $40 game beat out what was essentially a cultural phenomenon in Helldivers 2. For years, the industry has been pushing free-to-play models with battle passes and microtransactions. But Arc Raiders proves there’s still a massive audience willing to pay upfront for a quality experience. Basically, gamers are voting with their wallets, and they’re saying they prefer this model over the constant nickel-and-diming of free-to-play games.
Embark’s second act challenge
Now Embark Studios faces the real test. Their previous game, The Finals, also exploded out of the gate but couldn’t maintain that momentum. The studio seems to have learned from that experience though – they already have a full roadmap available to players, which suggests they’re thinking long-term. But can they keep players engaged when the novelty wears off? That’s the billion-dollar question for any live service game. The extraction shooter genre is particularly brutal for player retention since matches can be so punishing.
Where extraction shooters go next
Look, the success of both Helldivers 2 and Arc Raiders shows the extraction shooter genre has legs. But they’re approaching it from completely different angles. Helldivers is this cooperative, almost arcade-like experience while Arc Raiders leans hard into PvP tension. And with Bungie’s Marathon expected to launch with a similar $40 price point, we’re seeing a pattern emerge. The genre that started with hardcore PC games is going mainstream, and publishers are betting big that players will pay for premium experiences. The Steam charts don’t lie – this isn’t just a fluke.
What this means for gaming
So what does Arc Raiders’ success tell us? First, that the extraction shooter genre has room for multiple successful titles with different approaches. Second, that the $40 price point might be the sweet spot for premium multiplayer experiences. And third, that Embark Studios might have what it takes to become a major player in the competitive shooter space. But the real test comes in the next few months. Will players stick around when the next big thing drops? That’s when we’ll know if Arc Raiders is truly here to stay or just another flash in the pan.
