ARC Raiders vs Elden Ring Nightreign
Choose ARC Raiders for a live-service extraction grind, or Nightreign for tight 40-minute co-op runs — the real split is patience vs. pacing.
Updated 24d ago
ARC Raiders' accessible extraction loop is worth it now, but cheaters and content droughts mean wait until the anti-cheat is fixed.
Solo and duos both work now — the launch reviews calling solo a death sentence are a year stale. Still worth $39.99 if you can live with six months of silence.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 8; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 8.
| Measure | ARC Raiders | Elden Ring Nightreign |
|---|---|---|
| Value ARC Raiders wins on value | ||
| Price now | $33.79 −16% · GameBillet | $34.99 −13% · GameBillet |
| All-time low | $26.75 | $26.37 |
| Cost / hour | $0.72/hr $33.79 · 47 h main story | $1.25/hr $34.99 · 28 h main story |
| Off its low | +26% low was Dec 2025 | +33% low was Dec 2025 |
| Main story | 47 h | 28 h |
| Health | ||
| Steam reviews | 82% 415k reviews | 82% 191k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 48% 3k votes · vs 82% lifetime · souring | 78% 1k votes · vs 82% lifetime |
| Peak players | 41,319 Aug 2026 · ↓ 17% MoM | 34,386 Aug 2026 · ↓ 16% MoM |
| All-time peak | 465,097 Jan 2026 · now at 9% | 240,640 Jun 2025 · now at 14% |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | today | 8 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 16+ 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
Elden Ring Nightreign
The 40-minute run — two days of scavenging, two night bosses, one Nightlord — and how well it holds up with two friends on a voice call.
Silence from FromSoftware. Reviewers with hundreds of hours file negatives asking for content rather than fixes, and July brought a wave of crash reports.
from our July 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick ARC Raiders if
- You enjoy ongoing live-service games that add content regularly
- You want a co-op shooter with a 47-hour campaign you can stretch out
- You're okay with occasional cheaters if the core loop is free-to-play
Pick Elden Ring Nightreign if
- You want a complete game now without waiting for content drops
- You prefer 40-minute runs that fit a weeknight without a long commitment
- You and two friends want a co-op challenge with auto-leveling and mid-run gear
Bottom line
ARC Raiders if you live in live-service and can tolerate cheaters; Nightreign if you want a self-contained co-op roguelike that respects your time — but its silence may still leave you waiting.