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2025 has been a stacked year for great solo narrative-themed games, but there have been a few standout multiplayer titles. One such game is Arc Raiders, an extraction shooter with an impressive pedigree that impressed a lot of people during its beta tests, with fans eagerly chomping at the bit to get into the full game. Arc Raiders is set in a post-apocalyptic Earth, where humanity has been chased underground by ARC machines: AI droids that hunt mankind. The player takes on the role of Raiders, who are humans from the underground city of Speranza that are tasked with going to the surface and seeking loot from the previous generations, all while being hunted by man and machine alike. The Escapist recaps Arc Raiders is a PvPvE extraction shooter, set in a world where humanity has been driven underground by robots. Arc Raiders is the latest game by Embark Studios, the team behind The Finals. While Arc Raiders has some nods to The Finals, it’s not a direct sequel. Arc Raiders has had some incredibly popular beta tests, making it one of the most highly anticipated games of 2025. When will Arc Raiders be released? The Arc Raiders release date will be October 30, 2025. There is no early access option for paying for better editions, so everyone will be jumping in at the same time. Unfortunately, the game’s beta periods have concluded, and there is no demo, so there are no more ways to try Arc Raiders ahead of launch. What are the Arc Raiders editions and what are their prices? Unlike similar titles, Arc Raiders is not a free-to-play game, and anyone who wants to jump in needs to pay. When it comes to the Arc Raiders prices, there is a Standard Edition that costs $39.99 and a Deluxe Edition that costs $59.99. While the Standard Edition doesn’t come with any extra content outside of the base game, those who pre-order either edition will receive the Bruiser Bundle, including Bruised Face Style, Punch Hands Emote, and Boxing Gloves Backpack, and the Lucky Duck Bundle, including the Hatchling Backpack and Golden Rubber Duck Backpack Charm. Those who purchase the Deluxe Edition will receive lots of cosmetic items, including the Astro Bundle, Valente Outfit, Pathfinder Backpack, Blanket Roll Backpack Attachment, Lip Scar Face Cosmetic, Cowboy Scrappy Outfit and Body Type, and the Finger Gun: Rapid Fire Emote. More importantly, the Deluxe Edition includes 2,400 Raider Tokens, which can be used to unlock skins and battle passes. Speaking of battle passes, Arc Raiders will have them. Completing tasks and tiers will reward players with Raider Tokens, gear, and cosmetics. What platforms is Arc Raiders launching on? Arc Raiders is launching simultaneously on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Arc Raiders PS5 Pro will have better performance and visuals. There’s currently no word regarding a Nintendo Switch 2 port. It has been confirmed that Arc Raiders has cross-play across all platforms. This means you can play with your friends on PC, PlayStation, or Xbox. Arc Raiders gameplay & trailer analysis So now we get into the nitty-gritty: what’s the gameplay like in Arc Raiders? As mentioned, it’s a PvPvE extraction shooter, which means that you’re not only fighting NPC robots, but other players who are also on the hunt for loot. As it’s an extraction shooter, not only do you need to acquire loot while being attacked, but you also need to find an extraction point to escape with it intact, and these diminish over the course of the game. The main gameplay loop involves bringing loot back to the city of Speranza and using it to craft new gear, which can then be used to tackle more enemies. While you can’t explore Speranza (it’s more of a selection of menus), there’s plenty to do, as it’s here you can take on quests and weekly challenges to earn more items. While gear is important in Arc Raiders, it doesn’t guarantee victory, especially when facing other players. Outside of your loadout, you’ll also be able to tinker with the appearance of your Raider, with many of the rewards being cosmetic items. The main foe you’ll face in Arc Raiders is the ARCs, and these come in several different forms. There are the flying Snitches that can’t harm you, but will alert other enemies if they spot you, the Leaper, which will squash your Raider using its speed and bulk, and the Bombadier, which will blow you up from afar. There are also massive Raid boss-style foes, like The Queen, seen in the image above, which require cooperation from players to overcome. Arc Raiders was revealed during The Game Awards 2021, which broke the game’s concept (humanity fleeing underground from robots) and showed off a surprising amount of gameplay footage that’s true to the current build, with numerous fights against The Queen Arc. It’s surprising that it has taken so long for the game to be playable, as the core was clearly refined from the start. The Arc Raiders gameplay trailer revealed more detailed information about the game, including specific areas on each map that contain different kinds of loot, such as hospitals for healing-related gear. Zipline traversal between areas is also confirmed, though risky, due to flying ARC drones. The trailer also showed off Arc Raiders’ emote system, which can be used to communicate with players quickly. This can be used to speak to players on enemy teams and potentially come to a peaceful resolution to your encounter. The sheer size and scope of the maps means it’s impossible to know whether they have teammates hiding nearby. The Arc Raiders beta had several maps available, including Dam Battlegrounds, which is split by a giant dam, Buried City, which has many buildings to hide in, The Spaceport, which houses all kinds of advanced tech, and Blue Gate, which is out in the mountains and has lots of open wilderness. Arc Raiders also has a fifth map, called Stella Montis, but that hasn’t been revealed yet. Each map has its own weather cycles, and players can even attempt night varieties with better loot, but harder opponents. Ask The Escapist
