ARC Raiders vs Split Fiction

One demands a trio and gear loss, the other demands a partner and non-stop genre hopping — both are best co-op but for very different groups.

ARC Raiders cover
ARC Raiders 8.0/10 Strong

Embark's prettiest and friendliest extraction shooter — ARC Raiders trades Tarkov's hardcore detail for cleaner combat and a real sci-fi world to fight over.

Split Fiction cover
Split Fiction 9.0/10 Mighty

Hazelight's wildest co-op yet — Split Fiction trades It Takes Two's gentle tone for genre-hopping chaos, and it's their best game in years.

Steam popularity

Shared scale — sparklines are directly comparable across both games.

ARC Raiders
Jun 2026 peak CCU 68,130 ↓ 43% MoM
All-time peak 465,097 (Jan 2026 · now at 15%)
Split Fiction
Jun 2026 peak CCU 15,882 ↑ 11% MoM
All-time peak 258,641 (Mar 2025 · now at 6%)

Key differences

Co-op requirements
ARC Raiders requires a trio for manageable extraction runs; solo play is much steeper than the genre average.
Split Fiction is two-player only with no AI companion, so you must have a regular co-op partner.
Risk/reward system
ARC Raiders is full-loot extraction: dying means losing gear, no gear-protection mode exists.
Split Fiction has no permanent loss — checkpoints and instant retries keep the adventure stress-free.
Pacing and duration
ARC Raiders sessions are open-ended, with no fixed campaign length; play times vary by survival.
Split Fiction runs a tight 12-15 hour story that can be completed in three sessions.

Which one is for you?

Pick ARC Raiders if

  • You have a regular trio for extraction shooter sessions.
  • You enjoy high-stakes PvPvE where every life matters.
  • You liked The Finals' gunfeel and want more sci-fi multiplayer.

Pick Split Fiction if

  • You and a partner want a complete story in three sittings.
  • You love co-op games where mechanics change every level.
  • You hate losing gear and prefer a risk-free adventure.

Bottom line

Choose ARC Raiders if you have a trio and crave extraction-shooter tension; choose Split Fiction if you want a pure co-op story with a friend and no gear-loss anxiety.