ARC Raiders Devs Confirm Plans Through Early 2027

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The April update, called Riven Tides, was a significant moment for ARC Raiders, completing the game’s initial content plan from 2026. Since launching last October, Embark Studios’ extraction shooter has consistently received substantial monthly updates, demonstrating a strong commitment to post-launch support.

After six major updates in the past six months, the developers of ARC Raiders are planning even more content for 2026, though the way they release updates is changing. Instead of frequent updates, the game will now receive two large updates per year, each bringing significant improvements and changes. This announcement came shortly after the latest in-game event was reset.

I recently chatted with Aleksander Grøndal, the Executive Producer, and Virgil Watkins, the Design Director, about the new Riven Tides update for ARC Raiders and what they have planned for the future. They said they’ll be sharing a detailed roadmap for the rest of the year very soon – they’ve actually already got plans mapped out through 2026! According to Grøndal, they’re currently planning content up to early 2027, but they’re already working on even longer-term plans. Sounds like we can expect a ton of cool new stuff coming to the game, which is awesome!

Creating a clear plan for the future has been tricky since ARC Raiders unexpectedly became so popular. Embark Studios had a general idea of what they wanted to do after the game launched when ARC Raiders came out last year, but those plans were based on a lot of guesswork. The way players are actually enjoying the game has also made planning difficult, as the original plan has changed significantly based on player feedback.

ARC Raiders Devs Promise More New Content Throughout 2026

According to Grøndal, Embark was still learning what players wanted when ARC Raiders first came out. Figuring out how people are playing the game – some focus on team-based battles against the machines, others prefer player-versus-player combat, and a large number enjoy a combination of both – continues to be a key focus as they update and improve the game.

What makes ARC Raiders really interesting is how players interact with each other, but creating new things for the game is challenging. According to Grøndal, most of the game is designed to allow for different ways to play, and the team wants to keep it that way instead of focusing on content for just one type of player. Currently, players are asking for more things to do, so the main goal is to deliver that new content.

New Maps, Weapons, & More Planned For ARC Raiders

The team behind ARC Raiders wants to expand on what players already enjoy, rather than drastically changing the game. According to Grøndal, the focus is on making ARC Raiders the best version of itself, not turning it into something completely different. This will involve adding new and interesting weapons and gadgets, as well as improving what’s already there. For example, they plan to revisit the Hairpin pistol, which has received negative feedback, and make improvements.

The game will receive updates to weapons, attachments, and gadgets, including adjustments to how weapons degrade – similar to recent changes with Riven Tides. According to Watkins, these changes are partly aimed at addressing the different ways players engage with the game. Players who focus on PvP and PvPvE tend to actively trade, repair, and craft weapons, consistently gaining and losing them. However, players who primarily enjoy PvE often accumulate large stockpiles of weapons. The developers want to encourage a more balanced system where all players are more actively involved in the weapon economy.

I’m really excited about how the developers are thinking about updates, like the possible changes to blueprints and expeditions. But honestly, for me, nothing beats getting new maps to explore! Riven Tides is already the sixth map for ARC Raiders, and the team says it’s definitely not the last one they’re working on. They’ve got tons of ideas and several maps in the works. They’re even thinking about taking us outside the Rust Belt in future updates, which sounds awesome!

The game ARC Raiders has received two new maps since launch – Stella Montis and Riven Tides – released five months apart. While it’s unknown if future maps will follow this same schedule, the developers are planning more content, ensuring ongoing support for the game. Embark Studios recognizes that the unpredictable gameplay is what players enjoy most, and after six months, they’re continuing to expand ARC Raiders by adding more environments to explore.

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2026-05-14 00:31