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- Digital Foundry did an analysis video on Arc Raiders.
- They found out that Embark Studios cut down on key features like Nanite, Lumen, and Virtual Shadow Maps.
- This resulted in a huge performance increase and virtually no stutters when testing.
2025 has been full of surprises for video games, at least. Closing in the year, everyone expected Battlefield 6 to take the gaming world by storm, but nobody saw Arc Raiders dethroning EA’s $400 million+ release. Embark Studios’ extraction shooter is amazing and has even managed to attract an audience uninterested in the genre.
Despite being an Unreal Engine 5 game, the performance aspect is brilliant. A new analysis video reveals that the reason why the game runs so buttery-smooth is that the developers discarded key Unreal Engine 5 features like Lumen, Nanite, and Virtual Shadow Maps.
Why it matters: Unreal Engine 5 gets more bad rep than it deserves, and most of the time, it’s the developers’ fault for shipping a clustered release. Lumen and Nanite are some of the most performance-draining features and will hog resources from even the most powerful desktop PCs.
Digital Foundry did a full-on breakdown video for Arc Raiders and found out that with capped FPS, the game has near-perfect frametime. Even on unlocked framerates, stutters tend to be unnoticeable and can pass as more of animation glitches. It seems that Embark Studios has broken down the Unreal Engine 5 stutter curse.
With key features from the engine removed, CPU performance is incredibly smooth. Lumen, Nanite, and Virtual Shadow Maps are pretty resource-intensive, more towards the CPU end. With the absence of these features, Arc Raiders runs incredibly well on even mid-range PCs. To further optimize, there are tons of settings to mess around with and find the perfect configuration that provides a performance boost for just a bit of visual tradeoff.
Arc Raiders may not be the best-looking Unreal Engine 5 game, but for a multiplayer extraction-shooter, the graphics are still pretty stunning.
Previously, Palworld developer has also praised the game and stated that Embark Studios is setting a new benchmark for Unreal Engine 5 games. It is one of the reasons why the game sold 1.5 million copies in just three days of its launch and is the highest-rated multiplayer game in nearly a decade.
What are your thoughts on Arc Raiders? How well does the game run on your PCs? Let us know in the comments below, or at the official Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Staff Writer]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
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