ARC Raiders locks in for launch as Embark announces no more betas

ARC Raiders is consuming my every thought, and it’s been that way for weeks. Embark Studios’ retro-futuristic shooter makes my tiny gamer brain tingle with its grandiose spectacle and hair-raising sound design. However, we won’t be stepping into the Buried City anytime soon, because Embark Studios is making it clear that another beta isn’t happening.

With the ARC Raiders release date locked in and two successful playtests in the bag, Embark Studios is rolling ahead steadily to launch day. There’s been mostly radio silence from The Finals developer recently, aside from notes on tweaking weapons. Oh, and that apology in the wake of an ARC Raiders shadow drop not appearing at Summer Game Fest.

To avoid a similar situation, Embark Studios’ community manager, Dusty Gustaffson, clarifies that “our focus is now on polishing and expanding the experience, and putting all the learnings from Tech Test 2 into action ahead of release.”

As the studio is refining ARC Raiders extensively behind the scenes, Embark says that it isn’t “planning additional public tests before launch.” To keep “expectations in check”, the developer also confirms it isn’t appearing at this year’s Gamescom convention. This follows last year’s absence for the studio. In that time, the developer’s attention is on bringing major updates to The Finals, such as eSports events and quality-of-life improvements.

ARC Raiders’ journey from its initial reveal at The Game Awards in 2021 tells an intriguing story. Originally touted as a free-to-play co-op shooter, its evolution into a PVPVE survival extraction game is ultimately paying off, in my opinion. You can check out my ARC Raiders preview to see how it’s taking shape and its performance on the ROG Ally.

The good news is that the game’s “launch campaign will kick off before you know it”, according to Embark Studios. It’s a brutal wait without an ARC Raiders beta, but I’m more than ready to get back into the fray.

You can check out our list of the best FPS games before launch, or have a look at what Steam Deck games you should download next.