ARC Raiders vs Split Fiction
A 47-hour extraction shooter you can play alone versus a 14-hour couch co-op ride that demands a partner for every second.
Updated 15d 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 Oct 9; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Oct 9.
| Measure | ARC Raiders | Split Fiction |
|---|---|---|
| Value ARC Raiders wins on value | ||
| Price now | $19.99 −50% · Steam | $49.99 Epic Game Store |
| All-time low | $19.99 | $32.49 |
| Cost / hour | $0.43/hr $19.99 · 47 h main story | $3.65/hr $49.99 · 14 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was Oct 2026 | +54% low was Jun 2026 |
| Main story | 47 h | 14 h |
| Health Split Fiction wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 82% 421k reviews | 97% 128k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 63% 4k votes · vs 82% lifetime · souring | 94% 843 votes · vs 97% lifetime |
| Peak players | 39,900 Sep 2026 · ↓ 3% MoM | 12,363 Sep 2026 · ↓ 4% MoM |
| Launch peak | — | 5% of Mar 2025 launch peak · as of Sep 2026 |
| All-time peak | 465,097 Jan 2026 · now at 9% | 258,641 Mar 2025 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 2 days ago | 19 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 15+ in last 90 days, at minimum | 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 a shooter you can play solo without needing a partner online
- You tolerate cheaters and slow content drops if the core loop holds
- You prefer 47-hour progression over a one-weekend campaign
Pick Split Fiction if
- You have a regular co-op partner and finished It Takes Two
- You want a tight 14-hour campaign with constant mechanic swaps
- You'd rather pay $2+ per hour for a polished, bug-free launch
Bottom line
Pick ARC Raiders if you need solo-viable, cheap-per-hour shooter grind and can stomach cheaters; pick Split Fiction if you have a partner and want 14 hours of polished co-op with zero patches needed.