Arc Raiders May Fix Late Spawn Issues; Players Profit More

United States - Ekhbary News Agency

The developers behind the upcoming cooperative shooter Arc Raiders are finally addressing a long-standing player complaint: the controversial late spawn mechanic. While acknowledging the frustration it causes, Embark Studios’ design lead, Virgil Watkins, has revealed an interesting economic dynamic: players who join matches late may actually profit more than those who start from the beginning.

For months, players have voiced their dissatisfaction with joining matches significantly after they have begun. This often results in less time to complete objectives and fewer opportunities to gather resources. "We 100% acknowledge the whole thing of, 'Man, I came in to do that trial and now I clearly don't have enough time to do that, and that sucks, so I'm just going to leave,' or whatever. That aspect is definitely not great," Watkins stated in an interview with GamesRadar. He further elaborated on the perception versus reality of the mechanic: "Players are like, 'The loot's all gone,' or whatever else. But players who join late economically profit way more than people who don't." Watkins explained that late joiners can often encounter remnants of previous fights, target larger, more valuable enemies, or access high-ticket areas that have become less contested.

Despite these potential economic benefits, the core issue of reduced playtime and missed objectives remains a significant pain point for many. The original intent behind the late join system, according to Watkins, was to maintain a consistent player population throughout the match duration, preventing scenarios where early leavers would leave remaining players isolated. However, the current implementation often leads to disadvantages, such as facing opponents with fully kitted loadouts or arriving too late for critical objectives like timed trials.

Watkins stressed that the game's loot distribution and spawn points are designed to offer ample opportunities, encouraging players to adapt with alternative strategies (Plan B or C) when Plan A is disrupted by a late join. However, he conceded that the experience of having a primary objective, like a trial, undercut by a late arrival is particularly frustrating and will be a focus for future improvements. Embark Studios is committed to refining the late join system to alleviate these pain points and ensure a more equitable and enjoyable experience for all players, regardless of their join time.

The article also briefly touches upon various in-game guides and features available for Arc Raiders, such as finding Field Depots and using Field Crates.

Arc Raiders is a free-to-play, third-person cooperative shooter set in a retro-futuristic, dystopian world. Players band together to combat a mysterious alien threat, emphasizing teamwork and strategic combat.

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