Arc Raiders sold an estimated 150,000 copies in the three days after its free weekend ended, bringing in about $3 million from game sales, according to figures attributed to Alinea Analytics. The post-trial sales arrived amid a wider return to the extraction shooter, which reached 1.7 million daily players on October 14, its highest reported count in six months.

The surge followed Embark Studios’ Frozen Trails update, which brought the game to version 2.0 on October 8. The update arrived alongside free access and a 50% price cut to $19.99, combining fresh content with a lower-cost route into the game.

Gameplay from Arc Raiders. – Image: ARC Raiders / Steam A post-weekend peak, with a PvE test underway

The 1.7 million-player high came on October 14, two days after the free weekend finished. Around 150,000 new players reportedly joined during the trial itself, while the subsequent sales estimate suggests the promotion continued to convert some of that attention into purchases. The reported $3 million total does not include microtransactions.

Alinea Analytics’ figures were reported by Eurogamer and TechPowerUp, both of which attributed the data to the analytics firm. Eurogamer described the update as the main driver of the comeback; the timing also overlapped with a limited PvE test, so the peak followed more than one reason to return.

The PvE test ran from October 13 through October 20, giving players a temporary alternative to the game’s PvPvE matches. Executive producer Aleksander Grøndal has indicated that Embark is open to permanently separating PvE and PvP play, though no permanent split is confirmed.

Frozen Trails was a substantial addition, bringing a new map, weapons, mechs and other content. That sort of sizeable update paired with a free-access window is a familiar live-service play, also seen in Necesse’s update and free-weekend promotion. It has also produced sharp player-count jumps elsewhere: Project Zomboid’s Build 42.20 update pushed that game to a new all-time peak.

The October dates at a glance Date Arc Raiders event October 8 Frozen Trails launches; version 2.0 arrives, with the 50% discount and free weekend beginning. October 12 Free weekend ends. October 13–20 Limited PvE test runs. October 14 Daily players reach a reported six-month high of 1.7 million.

The discount reduced the price to $19.99 during the promotion. The player peak came after free access had ended, while the PvE test remained available through October 20.

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