ARC Raiders makes it very easy to head Topside for two specific parts and then stay another half hour because there is still one building nearby that you have not searched. The problem is that whatever you find still has to make it to extraction, and machines or rival Raiders may be waiting between you and the exit. That combination of exploration, loot, and risk is what makes each run exciting. The best alternative depends on which part matters most to you because some games put much more pressure on gear loss, while others let you explore hostile worlds with friends at a more relaxed pace.
Marathon - an upcoming sci-fi extraction shooter to watch
MarathonMarathonMarathon is one of the closest upcoming games to ARC Raiders on paper, but there is an important caveat: as of October 2026, Bungie says the game is still in development and does not have a new release date. It is therefore not something you can switch to and play today. It remains worth following if what you want is another large sci-fi PvP extraction shooter built around repeated runs, valuable loot, and the question of when to stop pushing your luck.Marathon takes place on the abandoned colony world of Tau Ceti IV. You play as a cybernetic mercenary known as a Runner and enter persistent zones in search of loot, contracts, and opportunities before trying to make it out alive. Bungie says the game supports both solo play and crews, while Runner shells provide different abilities and build options. If the sci-fi setting, pre-raid preparation, and competition over valuable discoveries are the parts of ARC Raiders you enjoy most, Marathon is one to keep on your wishlist rather than a currently available replacement.
Hunt: Showdown 1896 - for maximum extraction tension
Hunt: Showdown 1896Hunt: Showdown 1896Hunt replaces machines with monsters and futuristic ruins with decaying settlements, swamps, and hostile wilderness. In its core Bounty Hunt mode, you search for clues, track down a boss, kill and banish it, claim the bounty, and then try to escape the map. Other Hunters are pursuing the same objective, so defeating the monster can easily become the beginning of the most dangerous part of the match. Getting the bounty is only half the job. You still have to convince everyone nearby that you are leaving with it.The similarity to ARC Raiders comes from constantly deciding whether to fight, hide, rotate, or extract. Hunt focuses less on gradually filling a backpack with miscellaneous loot and more on teams converging around the same high-value objective. You can play solo or in small teams, and the shooting is first-person with a much slower and more deliberate rhythm than most modern shooters. Pick Hunt if the best part of ARC Raiders for you is the feeling that a successful extraction matters more than winning one stylish gunfight.
Delta Force - free extraction runs with Operators
Delta ForceDelta ForceIn Delta Force, the mode closest to ARC Raiders is Operations. You prepare a loadout, enter an extraction map, search for valuable supplies, fight AI enemies and rival squads, then try to reach an extraction point with everything you collected. The official description is simple: secure the supplies and evacuate. The same ARC Raiders habit of planning your exit before the backpack is full is more useful here than trying to loot every room on the map.The biggest differences are the modern military setting, first-person perspective, and Operator system. Each Operator brings dedicated gadgets and abilities, so squad composition matters more than it initially appears. Delta Force also includes Warfare, a completely different large-scale multiplayer mode with vehicles and 24v24 combat. That makes it a good free option if you want to alternate between extraction runs and more traditional multiplayer battles. For more games in that direction, see our best multiplayer FPS games in 2026.
Arena Breakout: Infinite - a free alternative focused on gear
Arena Breakout: InfiniteArena Breakout: InfiniteArena Breakout: Infinite is a strong choice if preparing for a raid is almost as entertaining to you as the raid itself. It is a free-to-play tactical extraction FPS built around PvPvE runs where you assemble a kit, search for valuables, survive fights, and extract before someone else takes everything you found. The current version features multiple maps, changing weather, a large weapon roster, and extensive attachment customization. Small choices in armor, ammunition, optics, recoil, and carry value can matter long before the first enemy appears.The basic similarity is obvious: loot has value because you can lose it. The tone is very different, however. Arena Breakout: Infinite replaces ruined sci-fi landscapes and giant machines with a modern military aesthetic and much deeper emphasis on weapon configuration. If what you loved in ARC Raiders was the exploration atmosphere, this is not a one-to-one substitute. If you want to lean harder into planning loadouts, inventory risk, and tactical firefights, it is one of the easiest alternatives to try because the game itself is free.
Escape from Tarkov - for more complexity and more danger near extraction
Escape from TarkovEscape from TarkovEscape from Tarkov is the obvious next step for players who became attached to pre-raid preparation, valuable loot, and the risk of losing the gear they carried into ARC Raiders. It is a paid first-person extraction shooter on PC where raids mix other PMCs, AI-controlled Scavs, quests, resources, and the constant possibility that a short detour turns into a much larger problem. Injuries, Bleeding, ammunition choices, armor, medical items, and map knowledge all add layers that ARC Raiders handles more gently.We recommend Tarkov if you are willing to learn maps and systems in detail rather than expecting to understand everything after one evening. Moving from ARC Raiders to Tarkov should be viewed as choosing a more demanding version of the extraction formula, not simply changing the camera perspective. For players who like the raid structure but are tired of constant competition with other people, PvE Zone provides progression without PvP opponents. On Steam, PvE Zone is sold as separate DLC and requires the base Escape from Tarkov game, so check the edition or add-on you need before buying.
The Division 2 - third-person loot and Dark Zones
The Division 2The Division 2The Division 2 is worth considering if you want to keep the third-person perspective, urban exploration, and constant hunt for better gear. Its Dark Zones mix hostile NPCs, contested loot, extraction, and other players, which creates a familiar kind of tension: finding a valuable item is not enough because contaminated loot still needs to be extracted before you can use it. At the same time, the Dark Zone is only one part of a much larger RPG with missions, builds, progression, and co-op activities.The game now gives you more choice over the kind of Dark Zone pressure you want. After the Red Horizon update, Ubisoft kept the Toxic Dark Zone as a permanent PvE Dark Zone variant. PvP Dark Zones still exist as well, so you can choose between fighting other players or focusing on enemies and extraction without Rogue agents. The Division 2 is a good fit if you enjoy building a character around weapons, skills, and gear but want more control over when PvP becomes part of the experience.
Helldivers 2 - if fighting machines with friends was your favorite part
Helldivers 2Helldivers 2If your favorite ARC Raiders moments involve coordinated fights against mechanical enemies, try Helldivers 2. It is a third-person shooter with four-player co-op where squads land on hostile planets, complete objectives, call in support, and then survive long enough to extract. The Automaton front is the closest match if you specifically want armored machines, fortified positions, and the need to bring tools capable of dealing with dangerous targets. Stratagems add another layer through support weapons, turrets, orbital strikes, air support, and other equipment called in during the mission.The purpose of each run is very different from ARC Raiders, though. Helldivers 2 is about completing objectives and surviving as a team rather than competing with another squad over the contents of a backpack. There are no enemy players, although friendly fire can quickly demonstrate why shouting a warning before an airstrike is still a useful social skill. Helldivers 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Pick it for co-op combat, pressure during extraction, and large mechanical enemies rather than extraction-shooter economy. For more options built around playing together, see our best co-op shooters.
Generation Zero - a machine-occupied world without rival Raiders
Generation ZeroGeneration ZeroGeneration Zero feels closer to ARC Raiders in atmosphere than in match structure. You explore a large open world inspired by 1980s Sweden, where quiet roads, forests, farms, and abandoned settlements are occupied by hostile machines. You can play alone or with up to three friends, collect resources, improve your character, and prepare for increasingly dangerous fights. When a giant machine appears beside an ordinary rural house, the calm scenery stops feeling safe very quickly.Combat is first-person, and progression is built around exploring one persistent world rather than repeatedly entering isolated extraction matches. There are no rival Raiders waiting near the exit and no standard loop of deploying, filling a backpack, extracting, and rebuilding a kit for the next run. Instead, you gradually learn the landscape, collect parts, complete missions, and build up your ability to fight the machines controlling the region. We recommend Generation Zero to players who want more time spent exploring abandoned places and fighting robots, especially if PvP interruptions were the part of ARC Raiders you liked least.
Which game should you try after ARC Raiders?
You do not need to jump straight into the most punishing extraction shooter available. Think about the ARC Raiders run that made you want to queue again immediately. Was it surviving with a backpack full of valuable loot, winning a fight against another squad, or simply exploring a strange location with friends? Start from that answer rather than from whichever game has the most complicated inventory screen.
Sci-fi extraction and a future alternative to watch - Marathon, once Bungie announces a new release date.
Free military extraction gameplay - Operations in Delta Force or Arena Breakout: Infinite.
A much more demanding extraction experience - Escape from Tarkov.
Third-person combat and character build progression - The Division 2.
Co-op battles against machines and high-pressure extractions - Helldivers 2.
Exploring a machine-occupied open world - Generation Zero.
None of these games reproduces ARC Raiders exactly, which is why the best replacement depends on what you are trying to preserve. Hunt and Tarkov push harder on loss and extraction tension. The Division 2 and Generation Zero preserve parts of the third-person exploration or hostile-machine atmosphere. Helldivers 2 focuses on co-op combat, while Delta Force and Arena Breakout: Infinite are easy free entry points into more traditional extraction-shooter structure. Marathon remains one of the most obvious thematic comparisons, but for now it belongs on the watchlist rather than in your download queue.
