For a while, extraction shooters seemed like they were becoming the next big thing. In the last year or so, we’ve seen dozens of extraction shooters emerge, and even more are on the way. It’s a growing trend that seems to be buckling at the knees, though, as many games are seeing their player counts bottom out or collapse over time.
There are still some big hitters on the horizon, such as Modern Warfare 4’s DMZ platform and PUBG’s Black Budget, but the energy surrounding the most major extraction shooters on the market is dissapating as we speak. That is, except for Escape from Tarkov, which is the only major extraction title to be growing these days.
Heavy is the Head That Wears the Crown
Escape from Tarkov has long been known as the spearhead of the extraction genre, having emerged ten years ago and evolved immeasurably since. In November 2025, it was ‘released’ in full, with Battlestate Games adding a new story, a fresh map, a Steam version, and countless other changes.
It has continued to grow since then, and while it’s arguably not where it was when it peaked around four or five years ago, it’s still going very strong.
In fact, compared to the rest of the extraction market, it’s effectively topping the charts. If we look at Steam, which has the most transparent player counts in the industry, a very clear picture is painted.
Marathon hit a peak in the last three months of 40,000 players, and in the last 24 hours, that was a measly 5,000 users. ARC Raiders, arguably the most electrifying extraction shooter in years, was hitting 110,000 in May, but in the last 24 hours, that peak was just 33,000.
Mistfall Hunter, the newest extraction game on the market, peaked at 44,000 out of the gate, but within a few days, that had dropped to a 24-hour peak of 33,000.
Gray Zone Warfare, an extraction-adjacent tactical shooter, dropped in three months from a peak of 11,000 concurrent users to just 3,200 in the last 24 hours (at the time of writing).
And the smaller games were telling a similar story:
- Dark and Darker, sitting at a 24-hour peak of 11,000 users
- Incursion Red River, 655 players in May, down to 340 in August
- Escape from Duckov, peaked at 8,500 during a major update, now sitting at 4,500
- Far Far West, peaked at 47,000 at launch in April, now sitting on just 1,000 peak users in 24 hours
- Road to Vostok, 8,200 peak at launch in April, down to 471
- Zero Sievert, 380 peak in 24 hours
But when you look at Escape from Tarkov, you see the only extraction game in the space with a mostly consistent uptrend in the player count in the last three months:
It also has the highest 24-hour peak of any core, dedicated extraction title, thanks to the recent release of the massive 1.1.0.0 update, and there’s plenty more in the pipeline.
Out of the spread of available titles, only Arena Breakout: Infinite, the free-to-play extraction shooter from MoreFun Studios, comes close. That was on a 24-hour peak of 32,000 users, bolstered by a recent major update that introduced a permanent PvE element to the game, a wave it has been riding for several weeks.
Hunt: Showdown is another title that’s weathered the downturn nicely, even if it’s not at the level of Escape from Tarkov. That hit a 24-hour peak of 26,000 users, down from 43,000 in June.
But why is Escape from Tarkov doing so well while almost all other extraction titles are wavering?
First, you’ve got to consider the content pipeline for Escape from Tarkov. Battlestate Games does a masterful job of laying out a roadmap, and there’s plenty in store for the extraction title that started it all. The game’s first official season and battle pass structure just landed, adding an entirely new way to play the game, but that’s just the beginning.#
On the horizon, we’ve got a console release, a standalone PC game, more seasonal content and wipes, a massive overhaul to the game’s Lighthouse environment, more weapons, a major expansion called Scav Life, and much more.
There are few extraction titles out there with this much lined up.
- RELATED: All Escape from Tarkov Promo Codes
Also, the game has managed to build such a core, cult following over the years that there’s always a dedicated community of streamers and fans singing the game’s praises, keeping the sentiment relatively high. Even when Tarkov hits a slump and draws hatred from the community for one reason or another, it’s still a name on everyone’s tongues.
It’s in the prestigious position where it has done it the longest, at the broadest scale, and in the most aura-defining way, and that’s arguably why Escape from Tarkov will weather whatever extraction downturn surfaces.
Are you a fan of Escape from Tarkov, or do you prefer to play other extraction titles? Let us know your thoughts on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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