Embark Studios boss Patrick Soderlund has shed light on the decision to ditch the original free-to-play model for the popular shooter Arc Raiders, instead opting for an attractive $40 price point – a figure that is notably cheaper than many triple-A titles on today’s market.
Speaking during an interview with Dean Takahashi of GameBeat, Soderlund explained that Embark Studios “looked at games like Helldivers” and decided that was the space they would like to be positioned at with Arc Raiders. “We made that decision, whether that was right or wrong one can argue. I like the fact that the game is relatively affordable and that people can come in and try the game,” he continued.
Soderlund added that another reason the team settled on $40 is that they wanted to sell Arc Raiders without its costing acting as an “offender” to consumers, as it’s a multiplayer title that lacks a traditional campaign. “We’d rather make people feel like it’s totally worth 40 bucks. I hope that people, given how much time they seem to spend in the game, feel like we’ve given them value for money. That’s where we want to be.”
Earlier this week, Soderlund revealed in a separate interview that Arc Raiders has implemented a form of aggression-based matchmaking, so that people who are a bit trigger-happy will be matched up with players who are equally as aggressive.
Arc Raiders launched for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S in October 2025.
[Source – GamesBeat Interview With Patrick Soderlund via InsiderGaming]