Former esports pro and top streamer Shroud stirred conversation by stating that ARC Raiders could become bigger than Fortnite over time.
The comments were made during one of Shroud’s livestreams following ARC Raiders’ October 30, 2025 release, where he reflected on the game’s rapid rise and argued that it represents the largest new shooter to emerge since Fortnite reshaped the genre years ago.
What Exactly Did Shroud Say During His Stream?
According to Shroud, ARC Raiders already feels larger in scope and momentum than other modern multiplayer giants such as VALORANT and Apex Legends.
He suggested that while those games have defined the competitive shooter space, ARC Raiders is carving out something even bigger, particularly as time goes on.
His comments focused less on short-term comparisons and more on a long-term outlook, based on the game’s rapid rise and sustained player engagement.
Still, the confidence of the statement immediately sparked skepticism, even among ARC Raiders fans, with many questioning whether the comparison was realistic or simply the result of streamer enthusiasm.
Why Do Some People Think His Take Has Merit?
There is some evidence behind Shroud’s argument, given ARC Raiders’ strong showing throughout 2025, with Embark Studios’ extraction shooter standing out as a major multiplayer success while other live-service titles struggled.
While many games in the genre see sharp declines weeks after launch, ARC Raiders has managed to retain a remarkably high percentage of its player base across platforms, maintaining strong concurrent numbers well beyond its release window.
This level of retention is rare in the extraction shooter space and has been a major factor behind the game’s growing reputation.
However, critics argue that equating ARC Raiders’ success with Fortnite’s dominance overlooks some massive structural differences. Fortnite is widely considered the most successful live-service shooter of all time, having reached player counts that dwarf nearly every other multiplayer game in history.
Its free-to-play model, constant crossover events, and mainstream cultural presence have allowed it to reach audiences far beyond traditional shooter fans.
ARC Raiders, by contrast, is a paid title, which naturally limits accessibility and makes Fortnite-level ubiquity much harder to achieve, regardless of quality or momentum.
How Successful Has ARC Raiders Actually Been So Far?
Nevertheless, ARC Raiders’ results are hard to overlook, as reports suggest the game has kept roughly 90% of its active player base since launch, a level of retention uncommon in the genre.
Strong early sales performance suggests the game is benefiting from word-of-mouth traction and long-term appeal.
Embark Studios has boosted confidence in the game’s long-term prospects by committing to years of post-launch support, with ongoing events and updates aimed at keeping the experience fresh.
In the end, although the idea of ARC Raiders outgrowing Fortnite is probably exaggerated, Shroud’s take draws attention to the game’s positioning as more than a fleeting trend.
Even if it never rivals Fortnite’s historic scale, its strong launch momentum, player retention, and steady developer support suggest long-term staying power.
In that light, Shroud’s hot take reads less like a numbers comparison and more like a projection of where the game could be headed.
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