Arc Raiders Down: Server Outages Hit Thousands of Players

Arc Raiders, the breakout extraction shooter from Embark Studios, experienced significant server disruptions on November 19-20, 2025, leaving tens of thousands of players unable to access the game. At the peak of the outage, over 67,000 users reported connection issues on Downdetector, highlighting the scale of the problem facing one of Steam's most successful recent launches.

Widespread Connection Problems Strike Arc Raiders

Players attempting to log into Arc Raiders encountered a variety of error messages, including "Online connection error" and backend notifications stating, "An illegal mutation was rejected by the backend... We have to redirect you back to the Main Hub." The disruption affected all platforms—PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5—demonstrating the widespread nature of the server problems.

According to reports from affected players, the outage began shortly after 11:30 GMT on November 19. By 9:15 ET the following morning, Downdetector had logged over 57,000 outage reports, which later dropped to approximately 35,000 by 9:55 ET, suggesting the issues were gradually being resolved.

Potential Connection to Cloudflare and AWS Outages

Several sources speculated that the Arc Raiders server issues might be linked to recent widespread outages affecting Cloudflare and Amazon Web Services (AWS). An X account called Arc Raiders Intel suggested this connection, noting that major platforms including X (formerly Twitter) and ChatGPT experienced similar disruptions around the same time.

The Cloudflare outage on November 18 was triggered by a configuration file designed to manage threat traffic, which instead caused a software crash across Cloudflare's network. This incident affected thousands of users across multiple services, and some players theorized that Arc Raiders' infrastructure may have been impacted by the same issues.

However, it's important to note that Embark Studios has not officially confirmed any link between the Arc Raiders outage and the Cloudflare/AWS problems.

How Players Can Check Server Status

Unlike some major online games, Arc Raiders does not currently maintain a dedicated official server status page. Players can monitor outages and updates through several reliable methods:

Official Communication Channels

The most reliable source for real-time updates comes from following @ArcRaidersGame and @EmbarkStudios on X (formerly Twitter), or joining the game's official Discord server. These channels provide direct communication from the developers about ongoing issues and estimated resolution times.

Third-Party Tracking Services

Websites like Technobezz and Downdetector collect live reports from players experiencing issues. These platforms help determine whether problems are widespread or localized to specific regions or internet service providers.

Network Troubleshooting

Players experiencing connection issues should also rule out local network problems by restarting their routers, resetting DNS settings to default or switching to Google's public DNS (8.8.8.8), and contacting their ISP if persistent lag or disconnections continue beyond the game-wide outage.

Arc Raiders' Meteoric Rise Despite Technical Challenges

The server outage comes at an inopportune time for Arc Raiders, which has enjoyed remarkable success since its launch. The game recently reached over 700,000 peak concurrent players across all platforms and has been nominated for Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards.

On Steam alone, Arc Raiders has consistently maintained impressive player counts, peaking at over 480,000 concurrent players and maintaining an 88% positive review rating. These numbers represent a significant achievement for Embark Studios, the developer behind The Finals, and demonstrate strong player interest in their latest extraction shooter.

Community Response and Creative Chaos

Despite the frustrating server issues, the Arc Raiders community has remained largely positive. Embark Studios recently shared statistics from their Breaking New Ground community event, revealing some entertaining player behavior. According to the developers, 117 players managed to knock themselves unconscious by throwing volcanic rocks—items that can bounce back or land on players when thrown improperly.

Players on Reddit shared their stories of accidental self-knockouts, with one user admitting, "My mate got a call... I was looking around to protect while no one showed up, my brain got an idea out of curiosity." The rock bounced twice and knocked them out before their friend returned to the game.

The community has also shown remarkable creativity, with some players building elaborate mazes on the new Stella Montis map, trapping late-spawning players and earning themselves the title of "engineer of chaos."

Looking Ahead: Stability and Growth

While server outages are never welcome, they're often a sign of a game's popularity exceeding infrastructure capacity. Arc Raiders' rapid growth—from over 260,000 concurrent players at launch to nearly half a million in subsequent weeks—demonstrates the game's strong appeal among extraction shooter fans.

Embark Studios has shown responsiveness to technical issues in the past, quickly addressing bugs and connection problems identified during the Server Slam open beta. The studio reported that after collecting data on "30 million rounds and 816,162 rubber ducks," they "took immediate action" to fix problems.

The Bigger Picture: Online Gaming Infrastructure

The Arc Raiders outage highlights the complex infrastructure challenges facing modern online games. When a game experiences explosive growth, as Arc Raiders has, scaling server capacity becomes a critical concern. The potential connection to broader cloud service disruptions also demonstrates how interconnected modern gaming infrastructure has become.

For players frustrated by the downtime, it's worth noting that many successful online games have experienced similar growing pains. Games like Helldivers 2, which Arc Raiders recently surpassed in concurrent Steam players, also faced server challenges during their initial success periods.

Conclusion

The Arc Raiders server outage of November 19-20, 2025, affected tens of thousands of players worldwide, disrupting access to one of the year's most successful new multiplayer games. While the exact cause remains unconfirmed—with speculation pointing to possible connections with Cloudflare and AWS outages—Embark Studios' track record suggests they will address the issues promptly.

Players experiencing connection problems should monitor official channels for updates, use third-party status trackers like Downdetector, and verify their local network settings. Despite this setback, Arc Raiders continues to demonstrate strong player engagement and positive community sentiment, suggesting the game's long-term prospects remain bright.

For a game that has achieved such rapid success—climbing from 260,000 to over 480,000 concurrent Steam players in just weeks—technical growing pains are perhaps inevitable. The real test will be how quickly Embark Studios can stabilize their infrastructure to support the game's impressive player base.