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Is Arc Raiders Worth It? Buy Now, Wait, or Check the Player Base First

Verdict: Buy now if you want a PvPvE extraction shooter and have friends to squad with. Wait if solo PvP stress puts you off. ARC Raiders holds an 86 on Metacritic and Very Positive Steam reviews overall (81% of 204,445 English reviews), but recent Steam reviews are lower (Mostly Positive, 72% in the last 30 days). Steam showed 30,480 players in game on the morning of November 2, 2026. It is on PC and Xbox Series X|S, with cross-platform play, and it is not on Game Pass.

How we rank

Checked Nov 2, 2026.

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The verdict in one table

CheckResult on November 2, 2026Source
ReleaseOctober 30, 2025Steam store page
PlatformsPC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, with cross-platform playEmbark Studios, arcraiders.com
Critic scoreMetacritic 86; OpenCritic 87 Top Critic AverageMetacritic, OpenCritic
Steam reviews, all timeVery Positive, 81% of 204,445 English reviewsSteam store page
Steam reviews, last 30 daysMostly Positive, 72% of 8,973 English reviewsSteam store page
Players in game on Steam30,480 at about 9:30 AM Lisbon time (UTC+0)Steam Web API, GetNumberOfCurrentPlayers
Free to play?No, it is a paid gameSteam store page
Game PassNot in the US Game Pass catalogXbox Game Pass catalog
Steam DeckPlayable (Valve rating)Steam

What ARC Raiders is

ARC Raiders is a third person PvPvE extraction shooter from Embark Studios. You drop into a map with a squad or alone, fight robotic ARC enemies and other players, grab loot, and try to get out alive. If you die, you lose what you carried in. That loop is the main thing to decide on. If losing gear to another player sounds fun, the game is built for you. If it sounds like stress, read the PvE note below.

What critics said

At launch, critics scored it well. Metacritic lists the PC version at 86 and OpenCritic lists 87 with 91% of critics recommending it, based on 98 critic reviews. Critic reviews were written around launch in late 2025. They do not cover the October 2026 Frozen Trail update.

What players say now

Steam reviews tell two stories:

  • All time: Very Positive, 81% positive across 204,445 English reviews.
  • Last 30 days: Mostly Positive, 72% positive across 8,973 English reviews.

The recent figure covers the weeks around the Frozen Trail update, which changed progression (see below). A drop in recent reviews after a big update is common, but it is worth reading a few recent reviews to see which changes players dislike before you buy.

The player base check

For an online-only game, the player base matters more than the score. On November 2, 2026 at about 9:30 AM Lisbon time (UTC+0), the Steam Web API reported 30,480 players in game on Steam. That figure is Steam only. It does not include PS5 or Xbox players.

A Steam snapshot of that size means matchmaking is active. It is one moment, not a trend, so if you want a trend, check SteamDB's chart for the game before you buy.

What changed in the last month

Embark's own patch notes show a busy October 2026:

  • Frozen Trail, update 2.0 (October 8, 2026). Embark calls it "our biggest update since launch." It added the Pendola Pass map, new enemies, new weapons, a revamped skill tree, the Outpost, 22 new quests and a new Reward Pass that replaced Raider Decks and the Cred currency.
  • Update 2.1 (October 13, 2026) started a PvE toggle beta test. Embark said player feedback and data would decide whether the toggle becomes permanent.
  • Update 2.2 (October 20, 2026) said the PvE beta had wrapped up and asked for feedback.
  • Update 2.3.0 (October 27, 2026) added fixes and balance changes. Embark said fixes return to a three-week schedule, with store updates weekly.

Our ARC Raiders patch notes explainer keeps a running summary.

Buy now, wait, or skip

Buy now if:

  • You have one or two friends to play with. Squads make the PvP side easier to enjoy.
  • You liked the extraction loop in other games and want one with active updates.
  • Your PC meets the specs. See Can your PC run ARC Raiders?

Wait if:

  • You only want PvE. The PvE toggle was a beta test, and Embark has not confirmed a permanent mode.
  • You want to see how recent reviews settle after the Frozen Trail changes.
  • You want it on Game Pass. It is not in the catalog, and nothing says it will be.

Skip if:

  • You do not enjoy losing gear to other players. That is the core of the game.

Editions and keys

On PC, ARC Raiders activates on Steam. Steam also lists DLC for the game, including a Deluxe Edition and the Collector DLC that Embark mentioned with Frozen Trail. Check which edition a listing includes before you pay.

  • Price: From $31.65, checked Nov 2, 2026

On Steam Deck, Valve rates it Playable. Our Steam Deck guide covers settings and what testers report.

Sources

All checked on 2026-11-02.

FAQ

Is ARC Raiders free to play?

No. Steam lists it as a paid game.

Is ARC Raiders still active?

Steam showed 30,480 players in game at about 9:30 AM Lisbon time on November 2, 2026, and Embark shipped four updates in October 2026.

Is ARC Raiders on Game Pass?

Not in the US Game Pass catalog on November 2, 2026.

Does ARC Raiders have cross play?

Yes. Embark lists cross-platform play across PC, PlayStation and Xbox.

Can I play ARC Raiders solo?

Yes, but you face squads and other players in PvPvE matches. A PvE toggle was tested in October 2026 as a beta.

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