Almost four years ago, Arc Raiders made a grand entrance with an explosive trailer at The Game Awards, captivating audiences and even its own developers. Embark CEO Patrick Soderlund fondly remembered thinking, “I’d want to play that game,” as revealed in a recent interview. However, a significant disconnect emerged: the actual gameplay didn’t live up to the trailer’s promise. Internal testing and fresh perspectives confirmed that while the PvE action had its moments, it simply wasn’t consistently engaging or enjoyable.
Aleksandr Grondal, who joined Embark as executive producer during this pivotal moment, confessed, “It took me a long time to understand what we were even trying to do.” His initial task was to finalize the multiplayer game in its last six months of development, but the situation he encountered was far from straightforward.
(Video Placeholder: Original game trailer)
Grondal observed, “There’s moments of fun, but it doesn’t consistently gel.” Soderlund agreed, noting that truly enjoyable experiences were a rarity, occurring perhaps once in every 50 encounters. This stark reality made it clear that the initial version of Arc Raiders was simply not sustainable or engaging enough.
Having dedicated three years to the project, Soderlund’s perspective was understandably more somber than Grondal’s. He stated in an interview, “We loved every aspect of what we were trying to design… But we came to the conclusion, after quite a long time: ‘Guys, this game is not fun’.” It was a difficult, yet crucial, realization.
This candid assessment prompted Embark to make a bold pivot, transforming the game from a purely PvE experience into a PvPvE extraction shooter. While the decision initially drew significant criticism from fans, Soderlund expressed his understanding, explaining that he believed the change would be fully justified if players had experienced the earlier, less enjoyable iterations of the game.
Ironically, this pivot marked a return to competitive multiplayer for many of Embark’s founding developers, who had previously left giants like EA and DICE precisely because they were “tired of PvP.” Yet, they found themselves returning to a familiar genre, aiming to infuse it with their unique vision, drawing inspiration from titles like Shadow of the Colossus. The game, with its colossal robots dominating the environment, undoubtedly delivers a sense of awe reminiscent of such masterpieces.
The shift appears to be vindicated, with the team receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from its technical test held this April. Players have embraced Arc Raiders’ new direction, propelling it to become the fifth-most wishlisted game on Steam, hot on the heels of its genre rival, Battlefield 6. A palpable excitement now surrounds the title, as players eagerly anticipate the fruits of Embark’s six-year development journey.
If this story has piqued your interest, ensure your PC meets the necessary system requirements before diving in. While you await its release, consider exploring some top-tier co-op games to keep you entertained.
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