When Embark Studios first came onto the scene, a lot of players weren’t exactly sure what to expect. They had a team full of industry veterans who previously worked on some of the most recognizable shooters out there, a brand-new studio name, and a ton of buzz around new tech-driven game design. Fast-forward to now, and Embark has already made a meaningful mark on the industry with The Finals, a free-to-play first-person shooter that dropped out of nowhere and immediately drew millions of players into its explosive, destructible, game-show-style arenas.
But the momentum isn’t slowing down. Embark is launching ARC Raiders: a third-person extraction shooter with a sci-fi twist and they’ve already confirmed that two more unannounced games are in the conceptual pipeline.
Yep. Two. And the early descriptions suggest they’re going to be very different from what we’ve seen so far.
So, what’s going on inside Embark Studios? Why is the studio building so aggressively while many other developers are playing it safe? And what does this mean for gamers looking forward to new experiences especially in the multiplayer and extraction shooter space?
Let’s dive in.
The Finals: A Strong Foundation For Something Bigger
The Finals launched with serious momentum. It came out strong with a unique blend of team-based combat, destructible environments, flashy visual style, and fast-paced objective play. Imagine a competitive shooter where the map always feels like it’s falling apart around you — because it is.
At launch, reactions were mixed. Some players loved the chaos and creative movement possibilities. Others had trouble adjusting to the time-to-kill, character classes, and constant ability-based counters. But over time, the game has found its footing, especially due to consistent updates, strong community content, and a stable player base.
The Finals also did something that’s hard to pull off: it carved out an identity in a genre where “everything starts to look the same.” Even now, years after launch, downloadable content and updates continue to shape the game into a unique player-first experience.
This is important, because it’s a sign of how Embark thinks about long-term game design: no rushing, no piling on seasonal battle passes, and updates released when they’re ready — not because a calendar says they have to ship.
And that mindset moves straight into ARC Raiders.
ARC Raiders: The Next Big Step Into the Extraction Shooter Space
Extraction shooters are having a moment right now. With the growing popularity of games like Escape From Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown, the genre has become the go-to choice for players who want tense survival, high stakes gameplay, and the thrill of either walking out with loot or losing everything.
ARC Raiders enters this world with its own twist: a sci-fi setting where players fight against robotic enemies known as ARCs while scavenging for resources. It’s third-person, it’s cooperative (but also competitive), and it drops players into massive open environments.
However, what really stands out about ARC Raiders isn’t just the gameplay — it’s the approach to ongoing updates.
Embark has already made it clear that ARC Raiders will not follow the rigid seasonal content framework that most live-service games are locked into. Instead, the studio plans to release updates when they are meaningful — when players actually have something new to learn, explore, or fight.
This includes:
- New maps
- New ARC enemy types
- Quest system expansions
- Balance improvements
- Bug fixes
- Possibly new cooperative and PvP modes
This approach is bold. It’s also refreshing. It signals a trend toward player respect — less grind for grind’s sake, more content that feels like it matters.
And now we get to the real surprise.
Two New Games Are Already Being Planned
Even with The Finals in full swing and ARC Raiders hitting launch, CEO Patrick Soderlund has confirmed that the studio is already working on conceptual designs for two new games.
Here’s what we know:
- Both projects are multiplayer-oriented (online experiences are core to Embark’s identity).
- One of the games has a much edgier tone than anything Embark has released so far.
- The other game is more conventional, meaning it may appeal to wider audiences.
- Both are still in early development — early enough that the ideas could evolve significantly.
This move signals something important: Embark isn’t planning to “wait and see” how ARC Raiders performs before committing to their future. They are already operating with a long-term studio roadmap.
Their strategy mirrors that of studios like FromSoftware or Respawn — when you know your identity and trust your team, you keep building.
What Does “More Edge” Mean?
This is where speculation becomes fun.
When a developer says a game has “more edge,” it can mean:
- Darker themes
- More intense violence or atmosphere
- A riskier concept creatively
- A game aimed at core, not casual, audiences
Given how The Finals leans into spectacle and ARC Raiders leans into cooperative and extraction tension, an “edgier” title could signal:
- A darker sci-fi shooter
- Horror elements mixed into multiplayer
- More grounded or tactical gameplay
- Something experimental and genre-pushing
No matter what direction, it shows Embark isn’t afraid to diversify.
The Second Concept: More Conventional
The other concept is described as more “conventional” — which may mean:
- Standard shooter structure
- Familiar PvP design
- Traditional progression systems
This is the kind of game that draws in a broader group of players — the people who want to pick up a controller and instantly understand the objective.
Having one project aimed at core gamers and one at broad audiences is smart. It’s balanced. It’s also a sign that Embark wants to scale — not just maintain.
Why Gamers Should Be Paying Attention
Right now, a lot of major studios are in “wait and react” mode. Budgets are tightening. Live-service games are being cancelled left and right. Big publishers are playing it safe.
But Embark is doing the opposite: they are expanding.
This tells us three things:
- Their internal development tools are flexible — meaning they can prototype and build faster than most studios.
- They have trust in their player communities and are willing to take creative risks.
- They are betting on long-term multiplayer ecosystems, not one-and-done launches.
When a studio shows this level of confidence and consistency, it usually means something big is on the horizon.
A Connected Vision
Embark Studios isn’t just making a couple of games — they’re building a connected vision for what multiplayer experiences can look like moving forward. The Finals tested their systems. ARC Raiders expands their universe into something more open and tactical. And the two new conceptual games suggest that Embark sees a lot more room to grow.
If you’re a fan of shooters, cooperative gameplay, extraction mechanics, or studios that operate with a “players first” mindset, this is a developer worth keeping your eyes on.
This is just the beginning.
