According to IGN, Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios is cutting cosmetic store prices effective November 13th at 1:30am PT and automatically refunding the difference to players who purchased items at the old pricing. The studio also revealed it’s been “silently testing” duo prioritized matchmaking since earlier this week, though didn’t specify exact discount amounts. This comes as the extraction shooter hits a massive commercial milestone with over 4 million copies sold worldwide in under two weeks since launch, plus reaching 700,000 concurrent players across all platforms. The pricing changes arrive alongside tomorrow’s North Line update, which introduces a completely new region called Stella Montis, new ARCs, weapons, and quests.
The player backlash response
Here’s the thing about live service games – players will absolutely let you know when they think you’re getting greedy. The community had been pretty vocal about cosmetic prices, with some pointing out that premium skins cost “half the price of the game” itself. And honestly, when you’re charging $20-30 for a single skin in a $40 game? That’s going to ruffle some feathers. What’s interesting is how quickly Embark responded. They’re not just lowering prices – they’re automatically refunding the difference to anyone who already bought stuff. That’s a pretty classy move that should help rebuild some goodwill.
The matchmaking surprise
Now the duo matchmaking news is actually more significant than it might seem at first. Extraction shooters live and die by their matchmaking systems, and having to constantly play as a solo against three-player squads can be brutal. The fact that they’ve been “silently testing” this suggests they wanted to make sure it worked properly before making a big announcement. Their approach makes sense too – prioritize solos and squads first, then match duos with duos and trios with trios. It’s not perfect, but it’s a huge step in the right direction for team play.
The bigger picture
So why make these moves now? Well, with 4 million copies sold in under two weeks, Embark has a massive player base to keep happy. The extraction shooter space is getting crowded, and player retention is everything. Lowering cosmetic prices might mean less immediate revenue, but it could lead to more overall purchases and happier long-term players. And let’s be real – when you’ve already made bank on game sales, keeping your community happy becomes the priority. The fact that they’re being transparent about the premium decks not containing pay-to-win items shows they’re learning from other games’ mistakes.
What’s next
Between the North Line update dropping tomorrow and another called Cold Snap coming in December, Embark isn’t letting off the gas. They’ve got massive momentum with those sales numbers, and they clearly want to keep it going. The real test will be whether these quality-of-life improvements and content drops can maintain that 700,000 concurrent player count. Because in the live service world, initial sales are great, but keeping players engaged is what separates flash-in-the-pan successes from long-term hits.
