ARC Raiders Releases Pendola Pass Short Film as Players Hit 78.9K

Embark Studios just released a short film for ARC Raiders titled The Brutality of Pendola Pass. This comes as the extraction shooter still boasts 78,905 players on Steam. The game launched on October 30, 2025, and it has maintained a solid player base a year later.

The YouTube listing only includes the title without runtime, credits, or a plot summary. So, we can’t confirm what the film exactly contains. The title suggests a story focused on a specific location, but the sources available don’t clarify how it connects to the game’s maps or lore.

The film drops during a busy time for the game. Earlier coverage highlighted Patch 2.1 and its PvE toggle beta in Update 1.000.064. Before that, the 2.0 update received “best update ever” recognition as concurrent players hit over 103K. Today’s count of 78,905 is about 23% lower than that peak, which is typical after an update spike.

Players are still figuring out the basics. Traffic for guides on small interface issues, like how to turn off your backpack light, indicates a steady influx of new or returning players. Our recent backpack light coverage source pairs well with an Outpost storage guide we published on October 16. Together, they highlight areas where players are seeking assistance.

Nexon publishes the game for $39.99 on Steam, which is a premium price for an extraction shooter. Currently, Steam shows an 81% positive rating across 257,038 reviews, translating to about 208,000 positive and 48,800 negative. That’s a solid score given the volume, but it still leaves a significant number of players unhappy.

By The Numbers

Current Steam players	78,905
Steam reviews	81% positive (257,038 reviews)
Price on Steam	$39.99
Release date	October 30, 2025
Developer / Publisher	Embark Studios / Nexon

Community Pulse

The overall sentiment across the 10 signals we tracked is mixed, even with the high Steam score. One standout review from our sample is quite positive. A Steam reviewer noted, “Amazing game.. <33 For some reason it also reminds me of The Last of Us,” pointing out the similar style and apocalyptic setting. This comparison shows why a narrative short film fits the game’s tone. However, this sample is small and doesn’t represent the roughly 48,800 negative reviews.

What To Watch

• Film details: Keep an eye out for Embark to clarify whether Pendola Pass is a playable area or just a lore piece, and if it connects to an upcoming update.
• Player count after Patch 2.1: The PvE toggle beta could push concurrent players back toward that 103K peak. A count around 79K would suggest the audience has stabilized.
• Review score: With 81% positive across more than 257,000 reviews, future updates will need to carefully shift the score. Watch to see if new reviews influence it up or down.