Best Extraction Shooters For Newcomers
Extraction shooters have exploded in popularity over the last few years, to the point that the term is threatening to become overexposed. As the subgenre continues to gain more exposure through upcoming games like Marathon, more people will want to jump on board, and they might not be sure which games to prioritize.
Although their core gunplay tends to be similar to first-person or third-person shooters, extraction games have a unique gameplay loop that is addictive but also an acquired taste. They are also community-focused, with most games being PvPvE. If you are new to extraction shooters and are looking to change that, you should focus on the following games, which cover a spectrum of price points and gameplay styles. As the rankings improve, the more beginner-friendly the title becomes.
I didn’t include Helldivers 2, as not everybody agrees it qualifies as an extraction shooter. It is a great game for third-person shooters, but it isn’t representative of this genre on the whole.
9
Arena Breakout: Infinite
Arena Breakout: Infinite is one of the closest experiences to Escape From Tarkov we have ever received; however, it is free-to-play and comes with simplified gameplay, which makes the transition to a hardcore game like Tarkov much easier.
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The simplified elements in Arena Breakout: Infinite include an online map that shows the player’s location and allows for pinging targets for the entire team. The weapon customization system also works quite easily in this game, as players no longer need to level up to unlock important attachments. However, better weapons are still locked behind higher levels.
8
Incursion Red River
For those fed up with cheaters or toxic players, Incursion Red River is an incredible extraction shooter to play solo or with friends while only opposing AI-controlled enemies. The game brings everything one can expect from an extraction shooter, including hardcore and realistic gunplay.
Incursion Red River is still in early access, and the developers are trying to evolve the game over time by adding new maps, new contracts, bosses, extreme weather conditions, and improving the AI behavior to make it feel more realistic when engaging in gunfights.
7
Zero Sievert
Top-Down Wasteland Action
Taking a different approach, quite literally, to the extraction shooter, Zero Sievert puts players into a top-down perspective world where there is almost nothing left. Resources are scarce, making a good excuse for players having to fight each other, as well as any other creatures they find, to survive.
Another game being continually developed in early access release, Zero Sievert is already a fantastic release that blends a fun, intense world with the extraction shooter elements that are becoming key to the genre. Players have fallen in love with this different style of extraction shooter, finding it just as intense as other entries while appreciating the different perspective, which is rare for the genre.
6
Witchfire
Get Rid Of Doomed Creatures To Finally Reach Salvation
Witchfire is an RPG shooter at heart, more like Destiny 2, but it uses a gameplay loop that is more similar to an extraction shooter, which is why it fits pretty well into this list. The game is still in the early access phase, but it comes with enough content to keep players entertained.
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In Witchfire, the player is tasked with tackling a dungeon-style world with every attempt to kill the doomed creatures, hunt for resources, and then return home to use the resources for upgrading weapons and abilities. The choice belongs to the player to delve deeper or retreat, but a single death will result in losing all the progress made.
The game delivers exhilarating gunplay with a modding system similar to that of Destiny 2, which allows for being creative with builds to find more success on every journey. Witchfire is an offline, single-player extraction shooter, which is a rare thing nowadays.
5
Escape From Tarkov
Corporate Russian War
One of the originators of the extraction shooter genre, and the biggest of the games in the genre to date, Escape From Tarkov takes place in a fictional region where two private military companies are at war. Players are dropped into one of the varyingly difficult maps and are tasked with getting extracted, either at their primary point on the other side of the map or at one of the optional points in the middle of the map, all of which come with extra requirements, prompting players to improve their aim, so they can get into the mix of things in the middle of the map.
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Along the way, players contest with other player characters and NPCs in their attempts to gather as much loot as possible. Players can bring loot into a raid, but if they die, then they lose everything they’ve gathered during the raid as well as everything they brought into it, making the game a risky business. With up to fourteen players on a map and a maximum time of 45 minutes for each raid, Escape From Tarkov is the perfect setup with elements from MMOs to make for a highly successful game. This makes Escape From Tarkov ideal for newcomers, especially those with experience in MMOs, as many aspects of the game will feel familiar.
4
Delta Force
Delta Force is currently one of the most popular free-to-play shooters on the market, delivering a variety of modes, including an extraction shooter experience. Unlike most titles on this list, Delta Force offers a light-hearted extraction mode without the brutality of games like Escape From Tarkov.
Combining this casual approach with a fair progression system has significantly increased the player base for Delta Force. And let’s not forget about the Battle Pass system with worthy skins for in-game operators, which gives players just another reason to stick with the game.
The game has a problem with cheaters on PC, which almost disqualified it from this list. I am keeping it in since the core gameplay loop is beginner-friendly, but be warned, especially if you are not on a console.
3
Deep Rock Galactic
Space Dwarf Action
The idea of fantastical worlds has been taking more recent extraction shooters by storm. Deep Rock Galactic is another game that couldn’t resist the idea of a far-out setting like the planet of Hoxxes 4. Deep Rock Galactic tasks players with entering caves on the planet to mine resources, tackling swarms of aliens all the while, making it a tricky business to get started with some prior knowledge.
With a class-based system and a bigger focus on PvE, Deep Rock Galactic is a particularly great place in the extraction shooter genre for newcomers to start. For many players, it can be easier to learn a new style of a game without as much focus on PvP. The procedurally generated cave systems vary in style, which will help prepare players for the kind of varied maps they will be dropped into in other games within the genre.
2
Hunt: Showdown 1896
Deadly Bounty Hunting
One of the other earlier extraction shooter games, Hunt: Showdown 1896, is a great example of how players can get into the genre for the first time. Players take on the role of a hunter who is always trying to kill some sort of mythical creature, but they must compete with other hunters (other players) to achieve the bounty and get out of the zone, making it easier when teamed up, though many players try the game out solo.
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Hunt: Showdown 1896 has a beautifully designed style of gameplay, making the most out of the PvEvP idea, with five different types of monsters appearing. However, before players can find them, they must narrow down the potential locations of the monster’s hideout by finding clues around the world. Meanwhile, they will potentially have to fight other players and weaker enemy creatures as well. Hunt: Showdown is a great jumping-on point for newcomers to the genre because the gameplay loop, while always enjoyable, is quick to pick up.
1
Arc Raiders
Most Popular And The Best Extraction Shooter For Everyone
ARC Raiders
10/10
- Released
-
October 30, 2025
- ESRB
-
Teen / Violence, Blood
This might seem like way too obvious a reason, but Arc Raiders is the best extraction shooter for beginners primarily because it is the most popular member of the genre at the moment. Generally, popularity and quality are not intrinsically linked, but extraction shooters are community-driven, and you should really be looking to invest in a game that will almost certainly be around for a couple of years. Beyond its player count, Arc Raiders is also one of the more accessible representatives, mainly due to focusing on PvE over PvP. The latter is still an important part of the equation, but it is generally left in the hands of players, and the community prefers friendliness to aggression.
The formula is typical for the genre. You jump onto maps with either a custom or built-in loadout, and your goal is to loot as much as you can before extracting using a beacon. Simple but effective. If you die, you lose your loot AND custom gear, which instantly adds tension to every run. The basic loadouts are fixed and reliable, and they are perfect for beginners who are still growing accustomed to the gameplay loop and maps. You should not put on custom gear before you are confident in your knowledge of the game. Besides better gear, Arc Raiders also tracks progression through skills, which are split across a spectrum of types.
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