In 2025, ARC Raiders became a massive hit, which is impressive considering the year also saw the release of popular games like Ghost of Yotei, Death Stranding 2, Battlefield 6, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Before its release, ‘extraction shooter’ games were fairly uncommon, but ARC Raiders could potentially make the genre the next big trend.
For a while, Escape From Tarkov was the leading extraction shooter, but its difficulty kept many players away. ARC Raiders changed that by making the genre easier to pick up and play, quickly gaining a large player base. While ARC Raiders’ numbers have dropped off a bit since launch, it remains a popular shooter, creating a potential opening for its main competitor, Marathon.
As ARC Raiders’ Player Count Starts to Settle, Marathon is Waiting Around the Corner Ready to Pounce
The development of Marathon has been a bit of a rollercoaster. After being announced in 2023, news went quiet for a long time. Things changed in April 2025 when developer Bungie released a stunning trailer created by Alberto Mielgo, which quickly became popular online. While people loved the game’s visual style, some remained unsure about the gameplay itself. To address concerns and ensure quality, Bungie planned a closed alpha test from April 23rd to May 4th before the scheduled September 2025 launch. Unfortunately, this test revealed significant issues, marking the first major setback for Marathon.
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Marathon and Bungie’s Rough 2025
The initial alpha test of Marathon didn’t go well, leaving players disappointed and causing Bungie to postpone the game’s release indefinitely. Adding to the challenges between April and May 2025, artist Antireal publicly accused Bungie of using her artwork in Marathon’s designs. Bungie later confirmed the accusation, explaining that a former employee had included her work without authorization. This created a wave of negative publicity and fueled skepticism about the game. While the art controversy was eventually settled, Bungie remained silent about a new release date until recently.
Bungie announced on January 19th that Marathon will be released on March 5, 2026. With just a few weeks to go until launch, the team behind ARC Raiders might want to prepare for what’s coming.
ARC Raiders Has Lost A Lot of Players Since Its October Launch
- ARC Raiders‘ all-time peak on Steam was 481,966 players on November 16, 2025.
- At the time of writing this article, the Steam player count is 206,424.
Okay, so even though the player numbers are down a bit, it’s still a really solid amount – most games would be thrilled! I’ve been impressed with how well ARC Raiders has kept its player base steady. Honestly, consistency is what keeps a game alive, and Marathon is quickly becoming a serious contender. Once Marathon actually launches, everyone’s going to be comparing the two, no doubt. If Marathon lives up to the hype, we could be looking at a huge rivalry – maybe even the next Call of Duty vs. Battlefield!
The End of February is Already Pitting ARC Raiders and Marathon Against One Another
- ARC Raiders‘ Shrouded Sky update arrives on February 24.
- Marathon‘s server slam goes live on February 26.
I’m really excited about the new Shrouded Sky update for ARC Raiders – hurricanes are a huge addition! I think Embark Studios has done a great job building a world where they can keep adding things and evolving the game, which is awesome. It definitely keeps things interesting. But, I’ve also heard about the Marathon server slam, and I can see how some ARC Raiders players might want to try something a little different. Honestly, even if ARC Raiders is still good, sometimes you just need a fresh experience, you know? Embark’s done a lot to keep the game fun, but it’s natural for players to want to explore other options sometimes.
The Shrouded Sky update is also finally adding beards for characters.
These Next Few Weeks Will Be a Fascinating Moment For Extraction Shooters
Marathon has faced challenges during its development, and it will be interesting to see if the extra work has improved the game for Bungie. Despite issues with early test phases, a successful public stress test could signal a turning point. If it performs well, Marathon could become a strong rival to ARC Raiders. While several good extraction shooters already exist, ARC Raiders currently leads the pack. The arrival of another major competitor like Marathon won’t just increase competition—it will help establish extraction shooters as a dominant force in gaming.
ARC Raiders and Marathon will also be the same price point at $39.99.
As a longtime gamer, I’ve seen how titles like Wolfenstein 3D and Doom really kicked off the first-person shooter craze. Then Call of Duty made military shooters huge, and Fortnite basically flooded the market with battle royale and live-service games. Honestly, it feels like the industry is ready for something fresh, and I’m really excited about ARC Raiders and Marathon going up against each other – it could be the start of something new! I’m especially curious to see how ARC Raiders will react if Marathon‘s launch goes well. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on the player feedback. Bungie seems to have really stepped up the gameplay and content with Marathon, and it could potentially steal players away from ARC Raiders. It’s going to be a fascinating battle to watch!
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2026-02-22 13:04