Quick Read
- ARC Raiders is experiencing a “Major Outage Detected” as of January 24, 2026.
- Over 100 reports of server connection and matchmaking issues were logged in the last hour.
- The game has approximately 228,700 players online, 48% of its 24-hour peak.
- The outage impacts players amidst the rollout of ARC Raiders’ 2026 content roadmap.
- Embark Studios has not yet provided an official statement on the resolution.
Embark Studios’ acclaimed extraction shooter, ARC Raiders, is currently experiencing a major service outage, with players worldwide reporting significant issues with server connection and matchmaking. This widespread disruption comes as the game is actively rolling out the first half of its 2026 content roadmap, leaving hundreds of thousands of active players unable to access or fully enjoy the game’s unique online experience.
Widespread Disruption Reported
As of January 24, 2026, at approximately 04:40 AM UTC, a ‘Major Outage Detected’ status was confirmed for ARC Raiders, according to tracking data from Technobezz. The volume of reports escalated rapidly, with 129 reports logged in the last 24 hours, 105 within the last hour, and 92 in the preceding 15 minutes, indicating a severe and immediate impact on the player base. The primary issues cited by players include server connection failures, accounting for 51% of reports, and matchmaking problems, making up 47% of reported concerns.
Player comments highlight the frustration, with many expressing difficulty logging in and experiencing ‘online connection error’ messages or game crashes, particularly on platforms like PlayStation 5. While the game typically boasts a robust player count, current live statistics show approximately 228,700 players online, representing 48% of its 24-hour peak activity, suggesting a significant portion of its community is either affected or refraining from attempting to play during the outage.
Context: An Extraction Shooter’s Rise
ARC Raiders, developed and published by Embark Studios, is a third-person extraction shooter set on a future Earth ravaged by a mysterious mechanized threat known as ARC. The game challenges players to venture onto the surface of Calabretta, collect high-tier loot, battle robotic enemies, and successfully extract back to their home base in Speranza. The studio, formed in 2018 by industry veterans, cemented its reputation in the shooter genre following the release of The Finals in 2023.
Despite its release being ‘sandwiched’ between major titles like Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, ARC Raiders has achieved remarkable success, selling over 12 million copies and consistently drawing hundreds of thousands of active players, according to OpenCritic. Its gameplay emphasizes a blend of looting, shooting, and survival, distinguishing itself from traditional cover shooters with its focus on strategic resource management and extraction mechanics.
Impact on Player Experience and New Content
The timing of this outage is particularly disruptive, coinciding with the official rollout of the first half of ARC Raiders’ 2026 roadmap, which promises new content and system changes between January and April. This roadmap, revealed by Embark Studios, includes a new matchmaking system that OpenCritic described as a potential ‘game changer.’ The game’s existing aggression-based matchmaking system, which pairs players with similar PvP mindsets, is a core feature that shapes player experience, making server stability crucial for its proper functioning.
A stable online connection is fundamental to ARC Raiders’ core loop, where players must constantly manage inventory, track resources for upgrades, and monitor a session-long countdown to ensure a safe extraction. The inability to connect or find matches directly undermines these mechanics, preventing players from engaging with both the established gameplay and the newly introduced roadmap content, potentially affecting player progression and enjoyment during a critical period of new feature introduction.
Developer Response Awaited
As of the time of this report, Embark Studios has not yet issued an official statement regarding the cause or an estimated time for resolution of the major outage. Players are being directed to the official ARC Raiders status page for live updates, where they can also report issues as they occur. The situation continues to evolve, with the community eagerly awaiting communication and a fix from the developers to restore full access to the game.
The current widespread outage for ARC Raiders underscores the critical importance of robust server infrastructure and swift communication for live-service games, especially during periods of new content rollout, as prolonged downtime can erode player trust and disrupt the momentum generated by developer roadmaps.