🛑 HOLD UP: 5 INSANE SECRETS why ARC Raiders could STEAL Game of the Year from EVERYONE… (Even the “untouchable” RPG gods!) 😈
4M+ sales, records SHATTERED, Shroud raging “RIGGED if it loses”… But ONE “forgotten” feature flips the script – pros HIDE it to crush noobs…
What if YOUR next raid makes you a legend? (Don’t sleep or regret FOREVER!) 👉 [5 Reasons It’s GOTY Here]
Embark Studios’ ARC Raiders, the PvPvE extraction shooter that dropped on October 30, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, has rocketed past expectations. With over 4 million copies sold in under three weeks and a jaw-dropping 700,000+ peak concurrent players across platforms – including a Steam record of 462,488 that eclipsed Helldivers 2‘s 458,709 – it’s Nexon’s biggest global launch ever. In a 2025 packed with titans like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (OpenCritic 92) and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, this $40 premium title from ex-Battlefield devs is mounting a serious Game of the Year charge. Critics hail it as the genre’s pinnacle; streamers like Shroud demand votes, calling awards “rigged” otherwise. Here’s why ARC Raiders – set in a robot-ravaged Italy where Raiders scavenge from underground Speranza – could claim the crown.
Reason 1: Record-Shattering Success Proves Mass Appeal
ARC Raiders isn’t just popular; it’s a phenomenon. Steam peaks beat Helldivers 2 and rival Battlefield 6, with daily averages of 250,000-400,000. Sales hit 4 million fast, topping charts since launch. Unlike free-to-play flops, its $40 price demands commitment – and delivers. Community events like unlocking Stella Montis in 38 hours show unprecedented cooperation.
Metric
ARC Raiders
Helldivers 2 Peak
Battlefield 6 Peak
Steam CCU
462,488
458,709
~441,000
Total CCU
700,000+
N/A
N/A
Sales
4M+
12M+ (over time)
7M+
This viral staying power – second-week peaks rising – screams cultural phenomenon.
Reason 2: Highest-Rated Multiplayer Shooter Ever – Critics Obsessed
OpenCritic’s 88-94 (“Mighty,” top 2% of games) and Metacritic’s 86-88 tie it for 2025’s best multiplayer, topping Overwatch (91, 2016). IGN (9/10): “Sets a new standard.” PC Gamer: “Thrilling, not frustrating.” Steam: 90% positive (14K+ reviews). Despite AI voice gripes (Eurogamer’s outlier 2/5), praise dominates: “Best extraction shooter,” per NotebookCheck, Gideon’s Gaming.
Reason 3: Perfects Extraction Shooter – Accessible Yet Tense
Tarkov-lite: Free loadouts for noobs, holster sprints, in-raid crafting, skill trees (Mobility first). Unreal Engine 5 stuns (stable 60+ FPS), with parkour, weak-point ARCs (Wasps’ thrusters), proximity chat fostering truces/revives. “Most alive PvP world,” says Myth; Shroud: “First to nail PvE in PvP.” Emergent stories – emote truces, bait extracts – beat scripted narratives.
Reason 4: Friendly Community – Humanity in Chaos
Unlike Tarkov’s toxicity, ARC Raiders breeds cooperation: “Don’t Shoot” emotes, revives, shared extracts. “Unusually friendly,” per critics; players help vs. ARCs over PvP. Cheaters? Auto-refunds loot. Reddit/X buzz: “Magical,” “GOTY.”
Reason 5: Ambitious Roadmap – Built for the Long Haul
No seasonal grind: “North Line” (Nov: Stella Montis map, Matriarch/Shredder ARCs, quests); “Cold Snap” (Dec: Snowfall, events, Raider Deck). Cosmetics-only monetization (earnable passes); 10-year vision with vehicles, expeditions (voluntary wipes). Patches fix bugs fast; anti-cheat refunds.
The GOTY Debate: Multiplayer’s Moment? Shroud rallies: “Band together!” Asmongold counters for Expedition 33. Last multiplayer GOTY: Overwatch (2016). ARC Raiders – accessible revolution – could break the single-player bias. With retention soaring, it’s no flash-in-pan.
Minor knocks: AI voices, early bugs (patched). But polish, heart, innovation shine. ARC Raiders isn’t “just multiplayer” – it’s multiplayer perfected. In a stacked year, it might just extract the win.
