Two sci‑fi shooters, one big weekend. Embark Studios’ Arc Raiders and Bungie’s rebooted Marathon wound up running major playtests at almost the same time, and that coincidence turned into an unexpected A/B test for developers and players alike.
Arc Raiders held a Server Slam from October 17 to October 19, 2025 across PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, plus PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Interest was sky-high: the test peaked at 189,668 concurrent players on Steam alone. While some participants hit frustrating early bugs that forced a full reinstall, momentum never really slowed, and overall sentiment skewed positive heading into the game’s October 30 launch.
Marathon, meanwhile, is progressing through invite-only playtests under NDA. That made it harder for outsiders to get a clear look, but it still created a fascinating backdrop for comparison. Arc Raiders design director Virgil Watkins noted that no one planned the overlap, yet it gave Embark a rare chance to observe how players reacted to two very different design philosophies at the same moment. He said the team paid close attention to what worked in each context and what didn’t, using that contrast to validate choices and identify tweaks ahead of release. Watkins also praised Marathon’s evocative art direction and said he’s eager to see more when the studio is ready to show it.
The timing reflects a broader surge of interest in cooperative and extraction-style shooters, with big names and indie standouts alike drawing crowds. Recent hits such as Helldivers 2, Escape from Tarkov, and tongue-in-cheek indie riffs like Escape from Duckov have only heightened expectations for what’s next.
Arc Raiders’ community feedback highlighted a recurring request for a first-person mode. Watkins addressed that directly, explaining that the team isn’t planning to add it due to asset fidelity requirements at close range; the game has been built around its current perspective, and shifting that late would compromise visual quality and consistency. Even so, the Server Slam’s robust turnout and largely enthusiastic reactions suggest Arc Raiders is connecting with players in its intended form.
If the playtest is any indication, Arc Raiders is entering launch week with strong momentum, valuable data from a massive cross-platform stress test, and a clearer view of what resonates in a crowded genre. Marathon remains mostly under wraps for now, but its parallel testing window has already influenced the conversation—setting up an intriguing face-off as both titles move toward their next milestones.
