The upcoming launch of ARC Raiders is one of my most looked-forward-to releases in a long time. Only one week after Battlefield 6 launched, we’ve been gifted with another look into Embark Studios’ upcoming killer release with their Server Slam test.
ARC Raiders has yet to launch, but the beta has been in full swing since this morning, and it’s cutting quite a chunk into the player counts on Steam. Rocking in at nearly 200,000 players, the ARC Raiders Server Slam is as stable as they come so far.
Directly from Embark Studios:
“Now live through October 19 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. This is the last chance to gear up, squad up and dive into the game’s high-stakes PvPvE extraction adventure ahead of the game’s full release on October 30. No codes or pre-registration needed, raiders can enter the fray starting today.
The Server Slam invites Raiders to drop into the Dam Battlegrounds map for a hands-on experience with elements of the game’s progression, crafting and quest systems. This open test is designed to help Embark Studios challenge and fortify the game’s servers before launch. As a thank-you for joining the fight, all participants will earn an exclusive “Server Slammer” backpack cosmetic reward, unlocked when the full game launches later this month. Please note that progress from the Server Slam will not carry over.”
Reading the fine print, and after double-checking, it does appear that the only map available this time around is the Dam Battlegrounds, damn! That doesn’t mean I won’t have some serious fun this weekend, but I probably won’t put as much time into this beta as I have the past couple of weeks, since I have the full release of Battlefield 6 to grind through still.
The question is whether ARC Raider sales will take the number one spot, but when, as the game has had nothing but good press over the last few betas. People are clearly eager to play, especially after everyone cried out in sadness when the official launch date was announced for October during Summer Games Fest.
While I can’t be entirely specific on what I first played some time back in 2024, from where the game was to where it is today is a salute to the developers at Embark Studios. Seeing this game over a year ago versus the state it’s in today gets me excited for what long-term commitment to ARC Raiders will look like.
The game we have today, from what I’ve played so far, is so incredibly polished you’d have half a mind to argue against the fact that it’s running on Unreal Engine 5. Yes, that’s right, this smooth experience open-map extraction shooter that runs at staggeringly high framerates while looking incredible is running on one of the worst running engines.
I guess Tim Sweemney was right when he said optimization really does come down to the developer. Here’s looking at you, Borderlands 4!
The real question is, what are you waiting for? Jump into ARC Raiders for free today on whatever platform you own! It’s one of the most-hyped games in 2025 for a reason, and that reason will become very clear if you’re a fan of PvPvE games like Hunt: Showdown and others.
Don’t forget, fellow Xbox and Windows PC players! ARC Raiders supports Play Anywhere. Meaning if you buy it on any Xbox storefront, you’ll be able to play on Windows PC and Xbox. That made the choice a no-brainer for me!
ARC Raiders releases on October 30, 2025, on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5.
