You've probably already heard, what with all the glowing coverage and the 700,000 concurrent players it racked up last weekend, but Arc Raiders is a hit. And not just a hit: Nexon, the parent company of Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios, says it's the most successful launch in the company's history.
Confirmation of Arc's big hitness comes from Nexon's Q3 2025 earnings report, in which Nexon president and CEO Junghun Lee said the game "is the most successful global launch in Nexon's history—an extraordinary achievement for an all-new IP."
"Backed by a pipeline of fresh content that extends through 2026, we believe Arc Raiders could become an enduring contributor to Nexon's portfolio of blockbuster global franchises," Lee added.
The raves continued in a separate earnings letter, which came complete with the Arc Raiders logo plastered across the top, in case anyone missed the point.
"Nexon's Embark Studios executed a powerful launch, sustaining the #1 ranking on Steam's Global Top Sellers list," the letter states. "To date, the game has sold 4 million copies and reached more than 700,000 concurrent players across all platforms. The game received widespread acclaim from both players and critics, earning a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam and ranking among the highest-rated titles of the year on various sites.
"Sustaining engagement and attracting new players in the months ahead is a top priority. Later this month we will introduce additional content including a new map, new Arc machines, new quests, [and] new gameplay items. Embark's roadmap for content and promotions designed to engage the core and attract new players extends through 2026."
Arc Raiders isn't the only good news for Nexon. The company also cited the ongoing success of the well-established MapleStory series, which "is tracking to a formidable 40% year-over-year increase in annual revenue," as well as a partnership with Tencent to bring its games to China. All told, Nexon said its management team looks upon 2025 "with a humble sense of accomplishment."
Having a huge launch is not necessarily a guarantee of long-term success. Funcom trumpeted Dune: Awakening as "the biggest release" in its history, for instance, and that game's player count has since sunk below that of the company's 2018 release Conan Exiles—not ideal for an MMO.
But four million copies sold is a hell of a start, and Arc's less-demanding approach to its players may help it maintain those impressive player counts over the long run—as will the fact that it's a really good game. Well over a week after launch Arc remains in the number-one spot on Steam's top-selling games chart, and among the top-five most played, behind only perennial chart-toppers Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2—and, notably, well ahead of Battlefield 6.
