Arc Raiders Players Receive Free Pickaxe as Game Surpasses 12 Million Sales

Nexon has revealed that Arc Raiders has surpassed 12.4 million units sold since its launch at the end of October 2025. This figure aligns with earlier estimates from Alinea Analytics, which projected sales around 12 million. Junghun Lee, Nexon’s president and CEO, noted that these impressive sales, along with a peak of 960,000 concurrent players, highlight Arc Raiders’ potential to become a key franchise in Nexon’s lineup. The game crossed the 10 million sales mark by the end of December 2025, and recent sales have surged, likely boosted by a 20% discount, bringing the total to 12.4 million and still climbing. Arc Raiders continues to perform well, frequently appearing at the top of the Steam charts.

Players logging into Arc Raiders by the end of today, January 13, will receive the “Gilded Pickaxe Raider Tool” as part of a new update. This update introduces several important changes, including a reduction in the Kettle’s fire rate from 600 to 450. Embark explained that the previous rate was primarily achievable through macros, creating an unfair advantage for those using third-party software. Additionally, the Trigger ‘Nade has been adjusted to reduce its effectiveness as a ‘trigger-in-air’ grenade while maintaining its role as a sticky bomb. The update also addresses an exploit involving key cards that allowed players to keep room keys after use.

Given Arc Raiders’ tremendous success, it’s no surprise that Hollywood has shown interest. Embark has received pitches for TV and movie adaptations, though no agreements have been finalized yet. While the game has been a hit, it has faced criticism for its use of AI-driven text-to-speech systems. Patrick Söderlund, head of Embark, clarified that the studio’s aim in integrating AI is to enhance game development efficiency, not to reduce employment. “We don’t use AI to avoid hiring or to replace people,” he stated. “It’s important to understand how AI can assist developers and benefit players.”

In a review, Arc Raiders received a score of 9/10, with the reviewer highlighting the game’s cooperative spirit. “We can all kill each other in Arc Raiders. The fact that most of us are choosing instead to lend a helping hand makes for one of the best multiplayer games I’ve ever played,” said the reviewer.