Over 12 Million Arc Raiders Players Recruited, Unlocking A Golden Pickaxe For All

I played Arc Raiders, and I see it has crossed a significant sales threshold. On January 13, developer Embark Studios announced the game has sold over 12 million copies. The extraction shooter, which opted for a premium entry, has seen its bet succeed.

Games Market reported a more precise figure of 12.4 million copies sold within just ten weeks. The game also reached 960,000 concurrent players across all platforms in January 2026. This success establishes the title as a major new online shooter. The player retention has been notable, allowing the game to hold its ground against the massive success of Battlefield 6. It also captured much of the attention that might have otherwise gone to Call of Duty following the disappointing release of Black Ops 7.

The game's performance has helped it sit comfortably among established titles like Counter-Strike 2, DOTA 2, and PUBG: Battlegrounds, even contributing to Steam setting a new concurrent users record earlier this month. To celebrate the sales milestone, Embark Studios is giving a Gilded Pickaxe Raider Tool to everyone who logged in from launch until 11:59 PM CET on January 13. The item will be added to the player's inventory upon the next login. The update is currently rolling out.

This growing player base for PvPvE shooters could also be a benefit for Bungie's Marathon, which is scheduled for release in March and is targeting a similar audience. The next step for the new franchise might even be a movie, as Hollywood has shown interest.

Read also, Embark Studios has taken action against cheaters in Arc Raiders. The developer is now issuing 30-day bans after implementing significant changes to its detection and ban systems.