Turns out you have Helldivers 2 to thank for Arc Raiders moving away from a free-to-play model

That, and the information it doesn't person a campaign

A fewer years ago, it would person been beauteous casual to ideate Helldivers 2 releasing arsenic a free-to-play game. It is simply a unrecorded work crippled aft all, astir of those are free-to-play due to the fact that studios privation to trim the obstruction to entry. Instead, it launched arsenic a paid-for, $40 game, a acold outcry from free, but not the $80-$100 releases we're seeing much and much of. And it's due to the fact that Arrowhead made the determination to bash truthful that Arc Raiders developer Embark did the nonstop aforesaid happening for their ain shooter.

This comes from Embark laminitis Patrick Söderlund who spoke of the studio's determination to displacement the crippled from free-to-play to paid-for successful 2024 successful an interrogation with GamesBeat's Dean Takahashi. "It's thing we discussed arsenic the crippled went from free-to-play to a accepted concern model. We fundamentally looked astatine games similar Helldivers and different games and decided, 'OK, that is wherever we should sit,'" Söderlund said. ""We made that decision, whether that was close oregon incorrect 1 tin argue. I similar the information that the crippled is comparatively affordable and that radical tin travel successful and effort the game."

Apparently, the game's deficiency of a run was a origin arsenic well, with Söderlund noting helium wouldn't privation a precocious terms tag to "be an offender for someone. We'd alternatively marque radical consciousness similar it's wholly worthy 40 bucks. I anticipation that people, fixed however overmuch clip they look to walk successful the game, consciousness similar we've fixed them worth for money. That's wherever we privation to be."

Certainly seems similar it paid disconnected for Embark, fixed that Arc Raiders was seemingly 1 of the champion performing games of 2025, so, I wouldn't beryllium amazed if we commencement seeing much campaign-less, online shooters going the premium way successful future. Like, for example, Bungie's yet to beryllium itself Marathon, which has besides opted for the 40 bucks option.