The momentum for ARC Raiders hasn't just continued from the end of last year; it’s accelerated into the new year. While it’s flirting with its all-time peak after crossing the 460,000 Concurrent Players mark, the broader shooter landscape—including Delta Force, Battlefield 6, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, and Escape from Tarkov—is seeing a rather dismal decline.

ARC Raiders managed to claw its way back from a dip to 330,000 players in mid-December, thanks to a fresh injection of content. By the end of the month, it hit 430,000, and it hasn't looked back since, reaching 466,372 players by the 5th. Considering its all-time peak sits at 480,000, it’s dangerously close to breaking its own record.

On the flip side, the latest entry in the Call of Duty franchise, Black Ops 7, has been struggling to find its footing since launch. Its Steam peak was a rather modest 100,000, and it has since dwindled to 55,000. Its long-time rival, Battlefield 6, is faring slightly better with 124,134 Concurrent Players as of the 5th, though the trend line is unmistakably heading south.

Delta Force, which enjoyed a brief stint as the go-to free-to-play alternative, has also seen its numbers slide since hitting a peak of 240,000. It currently sits at 138,411 players—not exactly small change, but the downward drift is persistent. Even the extraction genre pioneer, Escape from Tarkov, is struggling; after a 47,800-player launch day, it’s stagnated in the mid-30,000s, weighed down by lukewarm reception. It seems that while the big names are haemorrhaging players, ARC Raiders has been more than happy to mop up the refugees.

While these four titles rely on a first-person perspective that differs from ARC Raiders, they all fall under the broad umbrella of shooters. The secret to ARC Raiders' longevity? It’s hit the mark on sound design, solid gunplay, and a quirky, collaborative co-op loop that players are actually finding fun. It’s not just hype; it’s genuine mechanical polish.

Meanwhile, in the Steam global top sellers, Dispatch—the title that snagged the 'Outstanding Story-Rich Game' award at the 2025 Steam Awards—has climbed to 6th place. Elsewhere, Baldur's Gate 3, which took home an award in the 'Labor of Love' category, holds steady at 2nd, while ARC Raiders maintains its iron grip on the 1st position.