Nearly a Month After Marathon’s Release, How Has It Impacted ARC Raiders?

When Bungie released Marathon on March 5th, ARC Raiders briefly reached around 193,000 players on Steam. Interestingly, that was about 10,000 fewer than the previous day, sparking a lot of discussion among gamers online. By early April, the peak player count had dropped to around 144,000, and the game had already gained both strong supporters and critics. The launch of Marathon clearly impacted ARC Raiders.

However, the data paints a more complex picture. The important question isn’t whether Marathon took players from ARC Raiders, but whether ARC Raiders could maintain its initial popularity on its own. It also raises the issue of whether these two distinct games can successfully share the same genre. As extraction shooters become more popular, the biggest problem for the genre might not be competition between games, but rather defining what the genre is.

ARC Raiders Has a Player Decline That Predates Marathon

It’s important to look at the bigger picture before assuming the release of Marathon caused ARC Raiders‘ player numbers to fall. SteamDB data shows that player counts were already decreasing before March 5th. In fact, the game had been steadily losing players since January, when it averaged over 240,000 concurrent players. By March, that number had dropped to around 112,000.

It’s important to remember that Steam doesn’t show the whole picture of how well ARC Raiders is doing. While the game has sold over 12 million copies overall, meeting those high expectations was always going to be a challenge. Plus, a significant number of players are on consoles, which isn’t reflected in the Steam player numbers. Steam data showed a peak of around 480,000 concurrent players, but that doesn’t include console players. However, the Steam numbers do suggest ARC Raiders is following a typical pattern for major online games: a big launch, followed by fluctuating player counts as the game settles into a more stable rhythm.

Extraction Shooters Churn and Burn Players

Extraction shooter games tend to lose players relatively quickly for a number of reasons. They can be challenging, require a lot of skill, and players often get stuck, finish all the available content, or simply get tired of the repetitive gameplay. These player losses usually happen in bursts, creating noticeable ups and downs in the player count. ARC Raiders is facing this common issue, but on a much larger scale than any other game in the genre.

Marathon’s Playerbase Is Smaller, but Significant

I was really excited for Marathon, and it definitely had a strong start! It peaked at around 88,000 players on Steam, and they said hundreds of thousands were playing every day across all platforms when it first came out. That’s a good sign Bungie still knows what they’re doing when it comes to launching a game, especially for a more intense, hardcore shooter like this. But honestly, when you compare it to how popular ARC Raiders got, the difference in player numbers is pretty noticeable.

These games differ in their approach to gameplay. ARC Raiders is designed to be easily enjoyed by a wide range of players in cooperative PvE, welcoming those who might not be familiar with more hardcore titles like Escape from Tarkov. Marathon, on the other hand, focuses more on competitive PvP, has more complex mechanics, and emphasizes competition over teamwork. This difference is important when considering why both games have seen a decline in players. Because Marathon already had a smaller player base, it’s unlikely to be the primary reason for the significant 50,000-player gap between the two.

The Flashpoint Update Shows ARC Raiders Isn’t Standing Still

Despite ongoing development, including recent updates like Flashpoint which added new weapons, enemies, and better matchmaking, ARC Raiders is still finding its footing. The developers are trying to balance what players who enjoy cooperative gameplay want with what those who prefer player-versus-player combat expect. In a way, the biggest challenge for ARC Raiders isn’t other games like Marathon, but rather figuring out its own identity and satisfying its diverse player base. Marathon is facing a similar issue, but from a different perspective – both games are still evolving and discovering their long-term vision.

The Genre Is Expanding Faster Than It’s Consolidating

Looking at the bigger picture as a fan, it’s clear extraction shooters aren’t just for a small group of players anymore. ARC Raiders really put the genre on the map, and even though Marathon didn’t make quite as big a splash, it shows big studios still believe there’s money to be made here. I see a lot of negativity online, but it doesn’t feel like the genre is dying – it feels like it’s just growing and trying out new things, which is exciting!

The traditional, intensely difficult gameplay style seen in games like Tarkov is evolving. ARC Raiders offers a more relaxed and approachable experience, while Marathon focuses on competitive player-versus-player combat. Instead of competing for the same players, the genre is expanding to appeal to a wider audience, offering different types of gameplay to suit various preferences.

The Impact of Genre Growth Feels More Psychological Than Statistical

Let’s revisit the player count from March 5th: 193,000, which was about 10,000 fewer than the previous day. Even if we assume the recent surge is mostly due to Marathon, the decline in players started before the game launched. Plus, the difference in player numbers between the two games doesn’t really prove that Marathon caused the change, and ARC Raiders is still being actively updated, showing that Embark Studios is committed to supporting it. Ultimately, Marathon hasn’t fundamentally changed the gaming landscape, just how people are talking about it.

For months, ARC Raiders stood out as an easy-to-learn, visually impressive extraction shooter, offering a less punishing experience than Escape from Tarkov. With the release of Marathon, players now have a strong second option when choosing an extraction shooter. This has significantly changed how people think about these types of games, even if it hasn’t drastically changed how many people are playing them.

Supporting the Genre’s Growing Freedom of Choice

Ultimately, having more games like this could benefit everyone involved. For years, the ‘extraction shooter’ genre has been dominated by a single title. The arrival of strong competitors, such as Marathon and ARC Raiders, will strengthen the genre as a whole. As this type of game continues to gain popularity, giving players more options is key to its long-term success.

2026-04-03 17:35