ARC Raiders 
The new extraction shooter from Embark Studios, ARC Raiders, launches on October 30, 2025, for PC (Steam & Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
It’s the beginning of what Embark Studios has described as a long-term journey: not simply a one-time release, but a live, evolving world of raids, loot, machines, and ruthless competition.
ARC Raiders appears to be one of the bigger releases this year. One of the latest Server Slam tests has already hit high concurrent numbers, climbing just under 200K.
Embark Studios are also the guys behind The Finals. Naturally, since Arc Raiders is the studio’s second game, fans of The Finals are wondering whether the next big title shares the same universe.
ARC Raiders at launch
- $39,99 for the standard and $59,99 for the Deluxe Edition.
- PvPvE combat: scavenge, fight both mechanical threats and rival teams.
- Cross-play & cross-progression are supported.
- Online-only with no offline mode.
Setting and genre
- Story setting: Earth’s surface has been overrun by mechanized threats called “ARC”. Humanity now lives underground (in a base/city called Speranza), and players take on the role of Raiders who venture topside to scavenge resources.
- Genre: A third-person extraction shooter with PvPvE (Player vs Player vs Environment) mechanics. You’ll face both AI robots (the ARC machines) and potentially other human players.
Are ARC Raiders and The Finals connected? (lore explained)
Not officially. At least not yet. The connection, however, is strongly implied through thematic links, shared assets, and narrative hints in the games.
- ARC Raiders is set in the year 2180.
- The Finals takes place in 2100.
Lore-wise, the AI apocalypse in ARC Raiders could have happened in the 80 years between games if they share the same universe.
Easter eggs in ARC Raiders reference logos/sponsors from The Finals, such as DXZ, and you can find a Raider helmet with the ALFA ACTA logo.
In ARC Raiders lore, the presence of advanced robotics (ARC machines), underground survival, and corrupted systems could be seen as a potential future outcome of the decadent world shown in The Finals. Some fans theorise that the game show is part of a system that eventually fails, leading to the collapse we see in ARC Raiders.
Venturing out in the Dam Battlegrounds map
ARC Raiders roadmap and live service plans
Embark Studios has an ambitious roadmap for ARC Raiders beyond launch.
- Multiple major updates planned before the end of 2025: new maps (Stella Montis), new ARC enemy types, fresh systems, and gameplay expansions all in the coming months.
- The studio emphasises consistent updates rather than rigid seasonal drops, so you can expect a steady stream of content rather than a single big chunk every few months.
Gameplay mechanics
Deploy, loot, and extract
You go topside (surface) on missions/raids to gather loot/resources, complete objectives, then extract before the timer runs out or you die.
The clock is ticking
Typical raid timer is around 30 minutes maximum. Planning is important.
Extraction points
Once you’ve got what you need (or if things get rough), you must find the extraction elevator or safe hatch to leave with your loot. Dying typically means you lose much of what you carried.
Solo or squad
You can play solo or in teams (up to 3 players). When playing solo, you’ll be matched mostly against other solo players (to keep things fair) rather than full squads.
ARC Raiders PC system requirements
Here are the PC system requirements for ARC Raiders.
Minimum
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
- CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600
- RAM: 12 GB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 580 / Intel Arc A380
With these specs, you should be able to run the game at 1080p on low settings, targeting ~60 fps.
Recommended
- OS: Windows 10 (64-bit) or later
- CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- RAM: 16 GB
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT / Intel Arc B570
These specs aim for high graphics settings and are likely for 1080p resolution at ~60 fps.
