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.
“We’d rather make people feel like it’s totally worth 40 bucks. I hope that people, given how much time they seem to spend in the game, feel like we’ve given them value for money. That’s where we want to be,” he explained.
Arc Raiders has now reportedly sold more than 12 million copies across all platforms, driving more than $350 million in revenue.
Arc Raiders and developer Embark are owned by South Korean game giant Nexon. The studio’s previous game, The Finals, was not as successful, but it “laid the foundation for Arc Raiders’ explosive success,” a spokesperson for Nexon told Korea Herald.
Another high-profile game will adopt a $40 price as well, as Bungie will charge that rate for its PvPvE shooter Marathon when it launches in March.
Given the immense success of Arc Raiders, it’s unsurprising to learn that Hollywood has come calling, inquiring about movie or TV show deals. None have materialized as of yet, however.
Arc Raiders is a big success, but it also has its critics who took issue with the game’s use of artificial intelligence systems for its voice lines. Developer Embark recently defended the use of AI, with Soderlund saying, “People have to take a step back and understand what it is and how it can be a big help to developers and be a tremendous benefit to players.”