ARC Raiders has been all the buzz lately. Reaching over 4,000,000 sales in less than two weeks and almost 500,000 concurrent players, there doesn't seem to be much stopping Embark Studios' latest creation from rising higher and higher.
Still, there have been some legitimate complaints. After all, nothing these days is perfect, and I hold no ire for a video game that finds itself lacking in certain areas as well, even if it is the best multiplayer shooter in years.
Embark makes the best game even better
Embark Studios has announced it will slash store prices in response to player feedback.
"We have heard your feedback. We've reviewed our prices and made adjustments to lower prices where applicable. Revised prices will go live tomorrow, Thursday the 13th, at 10:30 CET. For any Raider who has already made a purchase on the old pricing, we'll compensate you for the difference. These Raider Tokens will be refunded back into your account automatically in the coming week."
For my United States brethren, that change will come at 3:30 AM CST. It's not yet known what the new pricing will be, but we'll keep this post updated as new information becomes available.
On top of that, Embark is also addressing the lack of a duo queue by adding dedicated duo search prioritization!
"We have silently tested and enabled Duo prioritized matchmaking, beginning earlier this week. Duo matchmaking will work like this: first, we prioritize Solos and Squads to play separately. After that, we prioritize Duos to play with other Duos, and for Trios to play with Trios. Please note that this is not a 100% guaranteed system, so you may at times run into differing constellations of players other than your own."
What a day it is to be an ARC Raider! All of this is good news for players like me. I've been aching for a doubles playlist, as that was one of my main complaints in my review. I hadn't even noticed since I avoid going in as a two-man like the plague.
With store prices dropping as well, that'll mean a few more coins back in my wallet since I'm one of those players who are part of the problem. I didn't necessarily have a big issue with the current prices, but I was also gifted 2400 tokens as part of the Deluxe Edition I purchased, as well as another 900 through the Raider Deck and Embark themselves.
The changes reflect a current culture at Embark Studios that I'd love to see continue. It's clear from the Alpha and Beta that the developer is prioritizing player feedback. Clear decisions made in favor of players are always positive.
Embark has also doubled down on its promise to keep Pay-to-Win mechanics clear of ARC Raiders.
At the moment, we have one free Raider Deck available for all players. In the future, you'll see both free and premium Raider Decks. Important things to note:
- Gameplay Items are only in free Raider Decks. To help you along the way as a new Raider, we have included some Gameplay Items in the free Raider Deck, which can be unlocked via progression.
- There are no Pay to Win items in the premium Raider Decks. The focus for premium Decks are based on cosmetics and convenience.
I'm having a hard time finding anything negative to say at this point with everything they're doing for the game. Besides the AI situation currently being discussed, ARC Raiders continues to impress me with the love and care it's showing its fans.
In case you missed it
Embark Studios previously released their roadmap for the remainder of 2025, proving that player retention and content are at the top of their to-do list. In the upcoming months, my fellow players will be getting an all-new map, Stella Montis, new community events, new ARC enemies, new utility items, weapons, and quests.
My particular interest lies in weapon balancing and maps. I have to imagine something like the Venator will be getting some sort of nerf, alongside some other guns. That thing is an absolute beast if you drop anything like a 12+ magazine modifier in it. Say goodbye to whomever ends up in front of your barrel.
Stella Montis will most likely arrive alongside new ARC enemies, with some hopeful additions made to the other maps as well. I'm rather hoping we get something a little different to face off against, rather than the same tanky Bombadier/Bastions or Leaper/Rocketeer combos.
I know we have Wasps, Snitch, and Hornets to watch out for, but they're starting to feel somewhat similar the more I play. A little more variety will go a long way towards making the game just that much better.
What do you think about the changes coming to ARC Raiders? Are you excited or upset that they still haven't added a first-person mode? Let us know below or on social media. I can't be the only person without any complaints after these announced changes.
FAQ
What changed in ARC Raiders’ store?
Embark Studios lowered cosmetic bundle prices, some of which previously cost up to $20. Players who already purchased at higher prices will be compensated with Raider Tokens.
Why was matchmaking updated?
Players complained that duos were forced into matches against full squads. The new system prioritizes duos against other duos, making 2‑player squads more balanced.
Does ARC Raiders have pay‑to‑win mechanics?
No. Embark confirmed premium Raider Decks will remain cosmetic‑only, while gameplay items are limited to free progression decks.
When do these changes go live?
Price adjustments and duo matchmaking began rolling out in mid‑November 2025.
What’s next for ARC Raiders?
Embark’s roadmap includes a new map (Stella Montis), weapon balancing, new ARC enemies, and more community events through 2025.
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