ARC Raiders vs Split Fiction
Extraction shooting with a squad versus genre-hopping co-op chaos — pick your multiplayer commitment.
Updated 29d ago
ARC Raiders' accessible extraction loop is worth it now, but cheaters and content droughts mean wait until the anti-cheat is fixed.
A fresh mechanic every ten minutes and a sci-fi/fantasy split worth two playthroughs — the best co-op game Hazelight has made, but there's no solo mode at all.
By the numbers
Prices checked Aug 24; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 24.
| Measure | ARC Raiders | Split Fiction |
|---|---|---|
| Value ARC Raiders wins on value | ||
| Price now | $29.95 −25% · GameBillet | $49.99 Epic Game Store |
| All-time low | $26.75 | $32.49 |
| Cost / hour | $0.64/hr $29.95 · 47 h main story | $3.65/hr $49.99 · 14 h main story |
| Off its low | +12% low was Dec 2025 | +54% low was Jun 2026 |
| Main story | 47 h | 14 h |
| Health Split Fiction wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 82% 414k reviews | 97% 126k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 49% 3k votes · vs 82% lifetime · souring | 95% 1k votes · vs 97% lifetime |
| Peak players | 50,024 Jul 2026 · ↓ 27% MoM | 17,127 Jul 2026 · ↑ 8% MoM |
| Launch peak | — | 7% of Mar 2025 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 |
| All-time peak | 465,097 Jan 2026 · now at 11% | 258,641 Mar 2025 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | yesterday | 18 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 15 in last 90 days | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
ARC Raiders
Atmosphere and audio are the anchors for long-haul fans — the abandoned world and machine hums keep 1000-hour players hooked.
Cheaters and exploiters are the dominating frustration, with veterans abandoning balanced/PvP lobbies and begging for real anti-cheat.
from our August 2026 verdict
Split Fiction
The constant mechanic rotation is the hook — every chapter drops a fresh twist, and long-time players say the sci-fi/fantasy blend keeps both playthroughs lively.
A few puzzles miss and require trial-and-error, but the occasional stumble is easy to forgive next to the near-constant inventiveness.
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick ARC Raiders if
- You want extraction shooter tension without Tarkov's complexity.
- You love Embark's gunfeel from The Finals.
- You have a regular trio for co-op sessions.
Pick Split Fiction if
- You want a co-op story you can finish in three nights.
- You enjoyed It Takes Two and want more from Hazelight.
- You prefer variety over deep loot systems.
Bottom line
If you have a consistent co-op partner and want a tight narrative, pick Split Fiction; if you want a persistent extraction shooter with squad tactics, pick ARC Raiders.