ARC Raiders is holding an open beta that's scheduled to kick off on October 17. The test will provide players with a taste of one of the highest-profile new live service games of 2025 mere weeks ahead of ARC Raiders' release.
The next title from Nexon's Swedish subsidiary Embark Studios was originally announced at the 2021 edition of The Game Awards as a co-op third-person shooter. ARC Raiders pivoted to an extraction shooter formula two years later. It is scheduled to launch on PC and consoles on October 30.
ARC Raiders Announces 'Server Slam' Open Beta
In the lead-up to ARC Raiders' release, the live service game will be hosting an open beta, which Embark has dubbed a "Server Slam." The test will take place between October 17 and 19, i.e., Friday through Sunday. The beta will be available on all of the game's target platforms: the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Both Steam and Epic Games Store users will be able to participate in the test.
No beta codes or sign-ups are needed for the beta, as players will be able to simply download the game during the testing period. Embark hasn't clarified whether the Server Slam build of its upcoming extraction shooter will be available to preload ahead of time. ARC Raiders implements crossplay in an entirely platform-agnostic manner, meaning console users may regularly find themselves facing PC players.
No progress from the ARC Raiders open beta will carry over to the full game. However, Embark is incentivizing enrollment in the test with an exclusive Server Slammer Backpack. All participants will be eligible to receive the cosmetic, so long as they use the same Embark ID account from the beta in the full game.
ARC Raiders Open Beta Details
- Start/end dates: October 17–19
- Platforms: PC (Steam, EGS), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
- Included map: Dam Battlegrounds
- Included content: Early and mid-tier equipment, Blueprints, Raider Deck, Workshop
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Excluded content: Codex, Projects (Expeditions), Trials
- These won't be available before launch
- Included enemies: Wasps, Ticks, Bastions, Leapers
- Participation rewards: Exclusive Server Slammer Backpack
ARC Raiders starts at $39.99 for the base game, with its Deluxe Edition retailing for an extra $20. The Server Slam will be available to everyone at no cost, making it a good opportunity for players who are on the fence about buying the extraction shooter to get some first-hand experience with it free of charge. Although free weekends are a fairly typical way for modern live service games to promote themselves and garner player interest, there's currently no indication of when Embark might be planning to host the first such event following the game's October 30 release. However, given the timing of its pre-holiday season release, the forthcoming Server Slam will likely be the only opportunity to try ARC Raiders free of charge until at least 2026.
ARC Raiders
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- October 30, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Violence, Blood
- Developer(s)
- Embark Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Embark Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Extraction, Shooter, Third-Person Shooter, Survival
