Nexon’s extraction shooter, Arc Raiders, continues to demonstrate remarkable commercial success, having surpassed , 14 million copies sold. The game, developed by Embark Studios, a Swedish company comprised of former DICE (Battlefield) employees, has also seen peak concurrent player counts reaching nearly one million.
The publisher highlighted the game’s performance in its latest financial results, stating that Arc Raiders has “significantly exceeded expectations.” Currently, the game boasts approximately six million weekly active users. January saw a peak of roughly 960,000 concurrent players, a significant figure considering the game launched in late .
Arc Raiders’ launch was notably strong, maintaining top-ranking positions on sales charts across Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. Nexon attributes this success to strong player retention and positive player metrics, anticipating continued momentum through monthly content updates and live events. The game reached four million copies sold within the first two weeks of release and had climbed to 12 million by the start of January, adding another two million copies in the subsequent month.
While player numbers have seen a slight dip in – falling below 250,000 concurrent players for the first time – Steamcharts data indicates a peak of over 465,000 players in early January. Despite this minor decline, player sentiment remains positive, even as the game navigates ongoing technical challenges.
Embark Studios has been actively addressing a series of item duplication glitches that have surfaced since launch. Notably, a recent hotfix intended to resolve an exploit inadvertently introduced a new inventory glitch, demonstrating the complexities of maintaining a live service game. The studio received positive feedback for its swift response to the initial exploit, highlighting the importance of rapid iteration and community engagement in the extraction shooter genre.
The studio’s commitment to post-launch support is evident in its roadmap, which currently focuses on the “Headwinds” update. Future updates, including “Shrouded Sky,” are planned to introduce new map conditions and challenges. This ongoing content pipeline is intended to sustain player engagement and drive continued sales.
Embark Studios CEO Patrick Söderlund recently discussed the company’s long-term vision for Arc Raiders, emphasizing the importance of live service operations, combating cheaters, and refining the core gameplay loop. The success of Arc Raiders has also provided Embark Studios with financial stability and the resources to pursue future projects.
Nexon’s financial briefing did not provide any updates regarding a reported project to develop a StarCraft-based shooter, leaving the status of that initiative unclear. The company has formed a team to explore the possibility, but no further details were disclosed.
Arc Raiders’ success story underscores the growing popularity of the extraction shooter genre and the potential for player-driven, live service games. The game’s blend of cooperative gameplay, challenging environments, and ongoing content updates has resonated with a broad audience, establishing it as a significant title in the current gaming landscape.
