Arc Raiders has sold 17 million copies, and Embark says its latest update proves it's built for the long haul

Arc Raiders has officially sold more than 17 million copies, as Embark Studios' latest update is helping prove that its extraction shooter has plenty of staying power. Nexon, the company's parent publisher, revealed the impressive milestone in its Q3 2026 financial report, while also explaining why it's confident in the game's long-term future.

Released in October 2025, Arc Raiders has enjoyed an enormous first year, establishing itself as one of the biggest multiplayer success stories in recent memory. Embark Studios clearly didn't expect it to skyrocket, given its switch to longer waits for meaningful updates. However, Nexon isn't just celebrating launch sales. It specifically highlights the reception to Frozen Trail, the game's largest update since release, which arrived on October 8, 2026.

According to Nexon, the update brought back players who had previously moved on and attracted new buyers a full year after launch. It introduced a large new map, Pendola Pass, alongside additional Arc enemies, weapons, and a refresh of the skill tree, giving Raiders plenty of reasons to dust off their gear and return to the Rust Belt.

"This is a performance we expect to see from a franchise, and why we built Arc Raiders for the long term," Nexon says in its earnings report. Nexon also previously revealed that more than half of Arc Raiders' active players had spent over 100 hours in the game, contributing to more than 1.5 billion hours of total playtime. That's an impressive amount of time spent scavenging for supplies and getting chased by machines.

There is, however, a little caution tucked into Nexon's latest financial outlook. While Arc Raiders' third-quarter revenue came in line with expectations, the publisher anticipates a year-over-year decline in Q4 compared to the game's launch quarter in 2025. It also expects revenue to remain broadly flat compared to Q3, partly due to promotional discounts and changes in when it recognises revenue.

Embark has plenty of work ahead if it wants to turn Arc Raiders into a lasting franchise, but selling 17 million copies in its first year is a pretty good foundation. With Nexon committing to long-term support and Frozen Trail bringing fresh interest to the extraction shooter, the next challenge is keeping those returning Raiders around.