Following its Best Multiplayer win at The Game Awards and robust holiday sales, Embark Studios priced Arc Raiders at $40—inspired by Helldivers 2—shifting from a free-to-play model. The strategy emphasizes affordability and value, yielding over 12 million units sold and $350 million in revenue shortly after launch.
Embark Studios founder and CEO Patrick Soderlund detailed the pricing for Arc Raiders—a multiplayer extraction shooter—in a Gamesbeat interview. Initially planned as free-to-play, the game adopted a $40 premium model influenced by successes like Helldivers 2. "We looked at games like Helldivers and decided that's where we should sit," Soderlund said.
The price balances accessibility and perceived value without deterring players. "It's relatively affordable so people can try it," he noted, adding that the studio aims for players to feel it's "totally worth 40 bucks" given their engagement time.
The approach has succeeded: analyst estimates show over 12 million units sold, generating more than $350 million. It topped Steam's sellers during the Christmas period, aided by discounts and acclaim for social features like aggressiveness-based matchmaking, fostering cooperation in the genre.