Highlights
- Arc Raiders surpassed 16M global sales after adding 4.6M copies during Q1 2026.
- Nexon secured China ISBN approval for Arc Raiders and plans multiple closed beta tests in 2026.
- The shooter helped drive Nexon’s record Q1 revenue, operating income, and net income growth.
Nexon reported that Arc Raiders has surpassed 16M units sold worldwide, adding 4.6M copies during the first quarter (Q1) of 2026. This makes the extraction shooter the company's most successful release to date. The figures were disclosed in Nexon’s quarterly earnings report for the period ended March 31, 2026, where the publisher credited the game as a major contributor to record financial results.
The publisher reported that more than half of active Arc Raiders players spent over 100 hours in the game during the quarter. This generated a combined 1.5B hours played globally.
Nexon pointed out that the title’s sustained engagement demonstrated its ability to build large-scale global franchises beyond its long-running core intellectual property (IP) portfolio.
Arc Raiders China Launch Plans Move Forward After ISBN Approval
Nexon also confirmed that Arc Raiders has obtained an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) license in China, a regulatory requirement for legally operating and monetizing games in the country. The company stated multiple closed beta tests are planned for 2026 as it prepares the shooter for release in one of the world’s largest gaming markets.
On LinkedIn, an industry executive, Rich Vogel, noted that Tencent is handling the development of a separate hyper-localized Chinese build of Arc Raiders. Vogel also mentioned that the Chinese client would operate independently from the global version.
He suggested Tencent could potentially explore a mobile adaptation, referencing the company's success with Valorant in China.
Likewise, Nexon added that Arc Raiders will receive its “Frozen Trail” update in October 2026, bringing new free and premium content aimed at reactivating former players while expanding the game’s active audience. The title also recently won Best Multiplayer Game at the 2026 BAFTA Games Awards.
Nexon Posts Record Q1 Revenue and Operating Income
The publisher recorded Q1 revenue of ¥152.2 billion (~$957 million USD), up 34% year-over-year (YoY), while operating income rose 40% to ¥58.2B (~$366M). Net income increased 118% to ¥57.2B (~$360M).
Nexon attributed the gains to Arc Raiders, MapleStory, and broader franchise growth initiatives.
As part of a wider restructuring effort, Nexon also disclosed that it canceled three internal projects and redirected resources toward Nakwon: Last Paradise and Woochi the Wayfarer. The move is aimed at focusing on titles with stronger global potential.
