Games Like Arc Raiders: Co-op Sci-Fi Shooters Worth Deploying Into
The best games like Arc Raiders, co-op PvE extraction shooters, sci-fi survival, and the specific thrill of fighting alien machines with friends.
Arc Raiders launched as one of 2025's biggest surprises, Embark Studios' free-to-play cooperative extraction shooter where squads scavenge resources while fighting alien machines called the Arc. It earned a Steam platinum seller spot and drew comparisons to everything from Helldivers to Destiny. The game sits at the intersection of extraction shooter, cooperative PvE, and sci-fi survival in a combination that clicked with millions of players.
Finding games like Arc Raiders means hunting for cooperative shooters where PvE combat is the focus, loot extraction creates tension, and the sci-fi setting provides spectacle.
What are the best co-op PvE shooters like Arc Raiders?
The best co-op PvE shooters similar to Arc Raiders include Helldivers 2, Deep Rock Galactic, Warhammer 40K: Darktide, Warframe, and Destiny 2. Each focuses on team-based combat against AI enemies with escalating difficulty and deep progression systems, matching Arc Raiders' core loop of squad-based cooperative play.
Helldivers 2 is the most obvious comparison, cooperative PvE with escalating difficulty, team communication, and friendly fire. The games like Helldivers 2 post has more.
Deep Rock Galactic is class-based co-op mining with procedural caves. The games like Deep Rock Galactic post has more.
Warhammer 40K: Darktide is cooperative horde shooter in the 40K universe.
Warframe is free-to-play sci-fi co-op with deep progression. Space ninjas with hundreds of hours of content.
Destiny 2 is looter shooter with cooperative raids and PvP.
What are the best extraction shooters like Arc Raiders?
The top extraction shooters with stakes similar to Arc Raiders are Escape from Tarkov, Hunt: Showdown 1896, The Forever Winter, and Arena Breakout Infinite. All feature the high-risk loot loop where you extract successfully or lose your gear, creating the same tension Arc Raiders delivers during its scavenging runs.
Arc Raiders has extraction mechanics, you bring loot out or lose it. Games with similar stakes:
Escape from Tarkov is the hardcore extraction shooter. Military simulation with punishing loss mechanics.
Hunt: Showdown 1896 is atmospheric extraction with monsters and PvP.
The Forever Winter is co-op extraction in a perpetual warzone. Scavenge between battling factions.
Arena Breakout Infinite is free-to-play Tarkov alternative.
What are the best sci-fi survival games like Arc Raiders?
The best sci-fi survival games for Arc Raiders fans are No Man's Sky, Starfield, Remnant II, and Outriders. These titles blend science fiction settings with co-op gameplay and progression-driven loops, offering everything from open-world exploration to soulslike shooting in richly detailed alien worlds.
No Man's Sky is cooperative space exploration survival. The no mans sky tips post has more.
Starfield is Bethesda's space RPG. The starfield tips post has more.
Remnant II is co-op soulslike shooter with procedural worlds.
Outriders is sci-fi looter shooter with ability-based combat.
What are the best horde shooters like Arc Raiders?
The best horde shooters that scratch the Arc Raiders itch are Left 4 Dead 2, GTFO, Warhammer: Vermintide 2, and World War Z: Aftermath. These games focus on squads fighting through massive waves of enemies, rewarding coordination and teamwork in high-pressure scenarios just like Arc Raiders' toughest encounters.
Left 4 Dead 2 is the classic cooperative horde shooter.
GTFO is hardcore co-op horror. The games like Lethal Company post covers similar territory.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is melee-focused horde clearing.
World War Z: Aftermath is massive zombie horde shooter.
What we make at Choost
Choost Games develops Granny's Rampage, a single-player bullet heaven that shares Arc Raiders' "fight escalating waves of enemies with growing power" formula in a different multiplayer format. For more co-op recommendations, check the linked posts below covering Helldivers 2, Deep Rock Galactic, and Lethal Company alternatives.
Granny's Rampage is single-player bullet heaven, different multiplayer format from Arc Raiders but shared "fight waves of enemies with escalating power." For more co-op content, the games like Helldivers 2, games like Deep Rock Galactic, and games like Lethal Company posts have more.
The shortest version
The closest games to Arc Raiders depend on which part of the experience you love most. This table breaks down the best pick for each playstyle, from extraction tension to free-to-play sci-fi grinding, soulslike co-op, and classic cooperative mining.
| Playstyle | Best Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Closest Arc Raiders experience | Helldivers 2 or The Forever Winter | Squad PvE with escalating difficulty and extraction stakes |
| Extraction stakes | Escape from Tarkov or Hunt: Showdown | Hardcore loot-or-lose mechanics with high tension |
| Free-to-play sci-fi | Warframe | Deep progression, hundreds of hours, no upfront cost |
| Co-op mining | Deep Rock Galactic | Class-based teamwork in procedural caves |
| Soulslike co-op | Remnant II | Challenging boss fights with procedural worlds |
Arc Raiders carved a niche by combining extraction tension with PvE co-op, the genre is thriving and the options are excellent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best games like Arc Raiders?
The best games like Arc Raiders include Helldivers 2, The Forever Winter, Deep Rock Galactic, Escape from Tarkov, Hunt: Showdown 1896, Warframe, and Remnant II. Each captures a different part of Arc Raiders' formula, from co-op PvE combat and extraction stakes to sci-fi settings and deep progression loops.
What free-to-play games are similar to Arc Raiders?
The top free-to-play alternatives to Arc Raiders are Warframe and Arena Breakout Infinite. Warframe offers hundreds of hours of sci-fi co-op content with deep progression, while Arena Breakout Infinite delivers extraction shooter mechanics similar to Arc Raiders' loot-or-lose tension.
What extraction shooters play like Arc Raiders?
Escape from Tarkov, Hunt: Showdown 1896, The Forever Winter, and Arena Breakout Infinite all share Arc Raiders' extraction mechanics where you bring loot out or lose it. The Forever Winter is the closest match since it combines co-op extraction with PvE scavenging between warring factions.
Is Helldivers 2 similar to Arc Raiders?
Yes, Helldivers 2 is one of the closest games to Arc Raiders. Both focus on cooperative PvE combat with escalating difficulty, squad-based teamwork, and sci-fi settings. The key difference is that Arc Raiders adds extraction mechanics where you risk losing your loot, while Helldivers 2 focuses on mission objectives.
