Embark Studios, the developer of ARC Raiders, knows its game has a growing tension problem. Some players want to focus on fighting the massive ARC machines. Others would rather hunt the players who are trying to fight those machines. Instead of forcing one playstyle over the other through strict behavior-based matchmaking, the studio is taking a different gamble: persuading players to cooperate by rewarding them for it.
Running from February 10 to February 24, the Shared Watch Event celebrates raiders who work together against the ARC threat, instead of against them. Players who focus on battling ARC units during the event will unlock items, earn Raider Tokens, and make progress toward a new cosmetic set called The Slugger. Event rewards are unlocked by earning Merits, which are gained through XP earned from damaging and destroying ARC enemies. The goal is simple: tolerate other Raiders, target the ARC.
More details on the event and its systems are expected to be revealed in the upcoming patch notes, but the intent is already clear. Embark Studios wants cooperation to feel rewarding, not mandatory, and hopes that a little loot-driven encouragement will help refocus the fight where it belongs.
This seems like a worthwhile endeavor to bring players who were fed up with the PVP to return, and who knows, it might just bring in some new players as well. We’ll find out if it works when this event starts up tomorrow.
Arc Raiders is playable on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and also features cross-play, so you can play with or frag your friends on all platforms.