ARC Raiders’ Emperors Are Creeping Closer, Here's Why Players Are Hyped

Some ARC Raiders players are starting to think that those menacing Emperors could be creeping ever closer. Here's what. it could mean for the future of the game.

Since its launch in October 2025, the online extraction shooter ARC Raiders has been one of the biggest success stories of the video game industry, ending the year by picking up the “Best Multiplayer Game” gong at The Game Awards. Well deserved, in my eyes! With nearly 500,000 concurrent players at launch and an amazing retention - over the last 24 hours (at the time of writing), it has over 410,000 players.

Other than being a fantastic extraction shooter in its own right, with intense combat and the untrustworthy nature of human interaction, one of the other aspects that immerses players into ARC Raiders is its enticing world.

ARC Raiders Has an Enthralling World

“Explore four distinct maps at launch, with more to be revealed as the underground society evolves and expands its reach. Each destination carries the weight of a world twice-destroyed, and the scars of conflicts both old and new,” reads the description of the ARC Raiders world.

“Sift through the remnants for valuable loot, and piece together the past as it's slowly reclaimed by nature. Evolving map conditions ensure that no two runs are the same, with varying weather, enemies, and mechanics adding unpredictability and danger.”

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What Are the Emperors in ARC Raiders?

“Emperors” is the name given by the ARC Raiders community for colossal mechanical invaders that basically look like giant spiders. Honestly, I hate them! They can often be seen wandering in the background of a map, seemingly minding their own business.

Emperors are said to be roughly ten times bigger than a Queen ARC, and that’s saying something. At this time, the Emperors have not initiated an attack, but could that be about to change?

“Am I going crazy, or are the Emperors getting closer?” asked Redditor Rageoffreys.

Fellow Reddit users agree with Rageoffreys, as it appears that an Emperor attack is looking increasingly likely.

“I personally think they are....but we can't rule out you being crazy,” joked Winter_Trainer_2115.

“They’re just walking …menacingly,” said Yuanshaosvassal in jest.

“Been getting closer to every update,” declared Sugary_Plumbs.

The current ARC Raiders season is ‘Headwinds’; however, there’s an interesting headline in the February update, ‘Shrouded Sky’. The word “shrouded” alone suggests that something is being kept from the players.

So, could there be an invasion coming from the sky?

Furthermore, in the ARC Raiders roadmap, one of the February events is a “New ARC Threat”. Could the Emperors be gearing up for something big next month? Only time will tell.

ARC Raiders is out now on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.