Embark Studios CEO Patrick Söderlund says the success of Arc Raiders has given the team “stability [and] long-term security” as it continues to support its new extraction shooter through 2026.
The studio head opened up about how the developer has changed for the better as part of a recent interview with IGN. During our chat, we learned more about how the surprise hit video game, which has sold over 12 million copies since going on sale in October, has impacted its team and how it will continue to affect them in the months ahead.
Söderlund acknowledged the “unfortunate” reality that mass layoffs have rocked the video game industry for the last two years. It’s marked a period of uncertainty for developers of every shape and size, but for Embark, Arc Raiders’ popularity among gamers across PC and consoles means safety – and even room for growth – for at least a while.
“We can live for a long time on the money that Arc Raiders has been generating, and that does give financial security and employment stability for the people that work there,” he said. “We’re growing our studio, we’re hiring people, we want to build more of Arc Raiders, we want to build more of The Finals.”
Arc Raiders launched for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S priced $40 on October 30, 2025, and follows the team’s 2023 multiplayer shooter, The Finals. At 12.4 million copies sold as of January 13 and an all-time concurrent player peak of 481,996 on Steam (via SteamDB), the success of Arc Raiders should also help Embark as it continues work on two new, unannounced games. What those look like or when they will release remains unclear for now, but Söderlund and the rest of the team show no signs of slowing down.
“For us, it’s a sigh of relief, obviously for any developer, and we’re incredibly happy for that and thankful for everyone that’s been supporting us by buying the game,” he added. “It feels great. Obviously, hopefully, we can have competitive salaries, good bonuses for the people that have done all this hard work and deserve to be taken care of adequately.”
The Stockholm-based developer hasn’t officially confirmed the exact budget for Arc Raiders, nor has it said how much it’s profited since its October launch (quick maths tells us 12.4 million sales is approximately $500 million in revenue, but it could now be much more). Meanwhile, industry analyst Michael Pachter recently claimed the project was made on a $75 million budget (via Insider Gaming). Söderlund wasn’t willing to talk specifics but told us that number is “not too far off.”
Arc Raiders is currently in the “Shrouded Sky” portion of its early 2026 roadmap, with Embark telling fans to expect a new map condition, new Arc threat, new Raider Deck, and more. While we wait to see what’s in store, you can check out our full interview. You can also read up on some of the newly announced changes to Expeditions.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
