Who Are Embark Studios?
Founded in 2018 in Stockholm, Sweden, Embark Studios was established by a team of veterans from DICE, the acclaimed developers of the Battlefield series. Their debut game, The Finals, launched as a free-to-play, destructible arena shooter that quickly built a dedicated fanbase. Building on that momentum, ARC Raiders arrived on October 30, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, pivoting from its original PvE looter-shooter concept to a tense PvPvE extraction adventure set on a robot-ravaged future Earth.
ARC Raiders: A Breakout Hit
ARC Raiders has shattered expectations since day one. The game sold over 12.4 million copies, peaked at 481,996 concurrent players on Steam, and continues to thrive with a steady playerbase three months post-launch. Priced at $40 with season passes and cosmetics driving ongoing revenue, it has proven "very profitable" despite a development budget estimated around $75 million — a figure Söderlund called "not too far off."
This success stands in stark contrast to industry-wide layoffs and struggles. As Söderlund told IGN, "We can live for a long time on the money that ARC Raiders has been generating, and that does give financial security and employment stability for the people that work there." The windfall has enabled studio expansion, new hires, and "competitive salaries, good bonuses for the people that have done all this hard work."
Embark isn't resting on its laurels for ARC Raiders. A 2026 "Escalation" roadmap promises monthly major updates, including new maps like Stella Montis and Riven Tides, dynamic conditions (e.g., Snowfall, Bird City), fresh ARC enemies, and high-level matchmaking options. The Finals Season 9 also just dropped, proving the team juggles multiple live-service titles seamlessly.
What Do We Know About the Two New Games?
Details are scarce — Embark is keeping cards close to the chest. Söderlund simply confirmed, "We also have two new games in development that we hope to finish someday." No genres, platforms, release windows, or even codenames have been shared. Speculation runs wild given Embark's shooter pedigree: more extraction action? Destructible arenas? Or bold experiments?
Older teases hint at variety. Back in 2022, the studio announced a "creative playground" project, though it appears to have evolved or been shelved in favor of ARC Raiders. Recent chatter echoes the hype, with fans buzzing about potential "edgy" concepts from prior leaks.
Looking Ahead
With financial stability secured, Embark is poised for ambitious growth. Söderlund emphasized gratitude to players: "We're incredibly happy for that and thankful for everyone that's been supporting us by buying the game." As the studio hires talent and iterates on its live games, all eyes are on those two mysteries. Expect reveals sooner rather than later — after all, Embark has a track record of delivering surprises.
ARC Raiders players, keep raiding. The future looks bright for Embark Studios.
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