Arc Raiders, an extraction shooter and the second recreation from developer Embark Studios, has taken the world by storm.
This sci-fi, third-person PvPvE experiment launched with little greater than a $40 price ticket and an attractive premise again in October and virtually instantly established itself as one of the greatest video games of 2025 – and possibly even 2026. Now, with a post-launch roadmap paving the approach with the promise of new map updates and new apocalyptic AI enemies, all eyes are on Embark to see if it could actually hold the momentum up for months – or possibly even years – to return.
We caught up with CEO Patrick Söderlund to be taught extra about the shock success of Arc Raiders, its enormous impression on the studio, the battle with cheaters, content material updates, resorts in Italy, bizarre pants, and extra as Embark heads into its first full yr with a mega hit on its fingers.
IGN: I would like to start out with PvE. Like so many others, I am fascinated by how gamers have chosen to speak and work together with each other in the recreation. What’s Embark doing to encourage that habits and capitalize on the particular sauce that makes this component distinctive?
Patrick Söderlund: I feel you mentioned it effectively. I feel it is, possibly, not simply capitalizing on the facets of PvE, however it’s capitalizing on the distinctive sauce that we managed to cook dinner that makes this recreation particular. I feel PvE and PvP are each elements in that sauce. I may sit there and faux like, ‘Sure, every part that occurs in the recreation and every part that folks do in the recreation, of course, was supposed.’ That is not the case, of course. If you construct a recreation, and you construction it to a big extent with parts of a sandbox, the stuff that occurs in Arc Raiders is simply the output, which is unimaginable and very rewarding for us to see as builders.
What we do is we take a look at, ‘OK, what do we expect we should always double down on?’ I, personally, am touched by all the social parts to this recreation and the issues that make me and, I feel, everybody else, imagine in humanity once more. There’s one thing very variety about that, in lots of facets. Simply as typically PvP will be thrilling, irritating, and thrilling, as effectively. These are the facets that now we have to look into. I feel we take a look at it from a holistic perspective and attempt to perceive what extra we are able to do to foster and to nurture each these sides.
One of the discussions that I feel is, to some extent, public is ‘What’s Speranza?’ I feel Speranza is closely underutilized, personally. I feel that is one thing that we need to, in all probability, enhance and make into one thing else. Are there parts of the recreation the place there could possibly be assembly factors? Once more, these are private concepts, proper now, that I am mainly brainstorming with you, however the Speranza concept is clearly one thing that I feel individuals have instructed us about, one thing that I feel could possibly be cool.
May you meet up with individuals there? May that be a social hub to some extent? What extra can we do with that? It additionally deepens what I feel is one thing that gamers possibly need extra of, which is the lore of Arc Raiders. So, we take a look at it from a number of angles and a number of views, and then, as we construct content material as shortly and quick as we are able to, we attempt and push updates and modifications into the recreation that does extra of what we imagine is nice about this recreation.
IGN: A fast offshoot: are there any plans for extra devices?
Patrick Söderlund: You are going to giggle. If you happen to ask the staff, ‘Who has been the greatest advocate for devices?’ They are going to ship you an image of me. I used to be so upset that we solely had one at launch, and I saved [saying], ‘The place are my devices?’ There are such a lot of of them which have been designed and constructed, and I occur to be ready of decision-making authority [laughs]. So, the reply is sure, there will probably be extra devices. For positive. I like them, and they create such cool moments. What the staff mainly wished to verify was that, not solely can they be performed individually, however they are often performed in unison, and that is smart. That makes it just a little bit extra sophisticated for us so as to add them. Then, they need, clearly, acceptable animations, however all the devices and every part that you just play has been recorded by the those who work at Embark, which is fairly cool.
Frankly, what you say there’s something that I imagine we have to lean into and do extra of. These varieties of issues. I do not know what one other instrument will be, however the pleasure… When somebody instructed me that we will do fireworks, I am like, ‘Why would we try this?’ Then I see these loopy issues individuals do with them. I mentioned, ‘We want extra of these items.’ I feel the issues which are possibly not centered round going on the market, taking pictures Arc, looting, or different issues, they’re simply there as a result of they’re enjoyable. They’re simply there to deliver pleasure. That is been, frankly, our greatest shock with this recreation. I’ve learn a bunch of articles saying the Arc Raiders is sort of like a social experiment, and it variety of is, and I like that.
I genuinely love the proven fact that that is what it’s. I truly had a dialog at dinner three days in the past with a really distinguished professor in neurology that had gotten to learn about the recreation, and mentioned, ‘Pay attention, you don’t have any concept what you have constructed. Overlook about the recreation itself.’ From simply the entire concept of psychological experimentation and social experimentation, and what this recreation will be. She, an excellent good friend of mine, mainly mentioned, ‘It’s best to go and do a collab or work with individuals from the medical subject to check what behaviors are triggered in Arc Raiders.’
We could not go that far. That might not be something to do with the recreation itself, however it factors to one thing that I imagine is so basic with this recreation, and I imagine is an enormous part to why the recreation has been profitable. We knew that we had parts of that, however we may by no means anticipate that it could take the route it took.
IGN: After I play, I typically hear gamers outright touch upon being in ‘pleasant’ or ‘unfriendly’ lobbies. I am unsure if that is one thing you realize off the high of your head, however is Embark conscious of how a lot of its playerbase is deliberately taking benefit of the aggression-based matchmaking to position themselves in PvE or PvP-centered lobbies?
Patrick Söderlund: I do not know the reply to that. It is clearly one thing that we’re and must proceed to observe. That is not the intent of the recreation’s design or our ambition to phase the recreation in that side and make it so that folks can sneak in. That is not, of course, what we would like. We wish you, as a participant, to have the expertise that you just’re on the lookout for and makes you cheerful. We now have to take care of the issue of the human beings and actual gamers, which we won’t curate that 100%. It is unattainable as a result of people make selections. I will be the friendliest man and then, all of a sudden, I can resolve to start out taking pictures individuals – or the reverse. It’s simply the nature of a multiplayer recreation, however we perceive that may be a concern. We perceive that could possibly be the case, and typically is the case.
We’re clearly pushing our programs and eager about different means of attempting to only give gamers the expertise they’re on the lookout for with out going into any deep particulars round this, as a result of it’s fairly advanced, to be sincere. You might be, frankly, like me for the most half.
I am PvE to a big extent, however I am additionally PvP typically as a result of I feel it is enjoyable. You have got different gamers that simply need to PvP, and for them, it is utterly truthful. I feel the recreation ought to cater to every type of gamers, however what we do not need to have occur is so that you can really feel such as you’re in a state of affairs that you do not need or that you just did not want for. That is variety of the necessary side of this.
IGN: So the aggression-based matchmaking continues to be one thing you guys are tweaking every single day, then?
Patrick Söderlund: All programs, when it pertains to matchmaking, will bear modifications repeatedly. That is an element of operating a dwell service. We now have to, and it isn’t simply that component of our matchmaking. Matchmaking, it isn’t so simple as, ‘Are you somebody that shoots rather a lot of individuals or not?’ It’s much more refined than that. The PvP, PvE side of it’s a small portion of it. There are different facets, and then we have to think about, how do you play the recreation? How good are you? You clearly shoot rather a lot of Arc enemies, we are going to decide your skills to shoot usually and your capacity to shoot towards AI and shoot towards different gamers.
Matchmaking is a fancy system as an entire, and as a developer, fairly exhausting to get proper. I have been working with matchmaking programs for the majority of my online game profession. All the approach from Battlefield to a bunch of totally different video games. Frankly, some of the first multiplayer video games, nobody even knew what matchmaking was. It was like, ‘Play the recreation. Have enjoyable.’ Then, as video games and multiplayer video games developed over time, it clearly grew to become a necessity. It is a method of many, many, many issues, the place PvE and PvP is one side of them, and all of it will get repeatedly tweaked, of course. There are in all probability different programs that we’re engaged on, or that we in all probability ought to be engaged on, that will probably be added as effectively.
IGN: Embark mentioned it was going to start out cracking down on cheaters in January. May you give me an replace on the anti-cheat course of and how that is gone up to now? If you happen to, once more, would occur to have a tough estimate on what number of cheaters have been banned?
Patrick Söderlund: I am not going to provide you a particular quantity, however I can provide you ballpark. We now have been fairly aggressive on this. The recreation wasn’t vulnerable to so many cheaters in the starting, however as with all multiplayer video games that get profitable, this turns into a part, sadly. For us as builders, similar to a DDoS [Distributed Denial-of-Service] assault, it is one of this stuff that you just simply should attempt and be a step forward. To be very sincere with you, it isn’t at all times straightforward as a result of the minute you do one thing, the minute you provide you with one thing, they’ve provide you with one thing else to do. The banning course of is clearly delicate as a result of we have to make it possible for we ban those who need to be banned, if that makes any sense. If you happen to take common figures, wherever between 0.1% to 1% of any multiplayer crowd in a large-scale multiplayer recreation is dishonest, and subsequently, to some extent, ought to get a short lived or an extended, or everlasting ban.
It could possibly be a minor factor that you just’re attempting. An purpose bot that will get you a 24-hour suspension, to doing one thing that, frankly, means you should not be taking part in the recreation anymore. So, we have put collectively a system. We have began banning gamers, and why do I do know that? As a result of I see an inflow of individuals attempting to get to the studio, and to me. ‘Oh, I did not do something.’ We’re seeing a fairly substantial change in that, however I do know that now we have banned in all probability tens of 1000’s of gamers up to now, that I do know. Once more, we have to make it possible for we get it proper. That we’re truthful, and that, in the case the place it is clear that we did not get it proper, that we are able to shortly treatment the state of affairs in order that participant is not affected in an unfair vogue or approach.
That is why the method ought to in all probability be just a little bit extra cautious than what I feel some individuals need for that particular purpose. Regardless of how cautious you might be and what programs are in place, there are at all times individuals which are going to really feel like they’re handled unfairly that, ‘I did not do something,’ and then there are completely individuals that can get caught or which are unfairly banned that we have to take care of. We attempt and take a look at it from that perspective, however we are going to proceed to go after individuals which are doing issues in the recreation that they should not do.
IGN: It seems like there’s rather a lot deliberate for the subsequent 4 months, although I’ve seen some gamers dissatisfied with the roadmap. What do you say to the individuals who noticed that four-month plan and really feel prefer it’s not sufficient to maintain them coming again?
Patrick Söderlund: First and foremost, what I say is, I hear you. I perceive what you are saying, and I might possibly even really feel the similar if I have been you to some extent, as a result of they do not have the particulars. We opted for a fairly generalized plan for now as a result of, to be very sincere, we’re creating issues as we go. It is a dwell service, and we all know what we will do, however we do not truly know whether or not one thing that we’re engaged on could or could not make it on time for that individual launch. As we get nearer to releasing one thing, you may see – and I feel you have seen it in our newest patch notes – they’re fairly detailed. We’re not attempting to cover something. We’re simply attempting to be as clear as we will be at this time limit, but when we get into the studio growth schedule and make that public, we’re in all probability going to be in a world of harm.
Folks could or is probably not as forgiving of some of the issues that we’re not in a position to ship, however our aim is to make it possible for this recreation will get steady updates, that we construct issues that folks love, and that we do it as a lot as we presumably can. I really feel that if I paid $40 for this recreation, I might’ve felt like I would gotten in all probability a good worth out of the recreation. We’re not resting.
We did take a while off for Christmas. The staff had been working day and night time, so that they wanted, frankly, a relaxation. I notice that in case you’re a participant, you in all probability do not care about that, however as the CEO of the studio, I’ve to care about these varieties of issues and make it possible for individuals can relaxation and that we’re truthful to the those who work there. However from the starting of January, each time everybody was again, we’re working round the clock to ship as a lot content material as we are able to to gamers.
IGN: Typically, what does a map replace for Arc Raiders appear like? Is that this the variety of factor gamers ought to count on to be a frequent half of the live-service roadmap going ahead?
Patrick Söderlund: The reply is sure, they need to. For us, we take a look at the current maps as… If you construct one thing, you check it, and you check it extensively, and you do no matter you may, however nothing can evaluate to 10+ million individuals taking part in your recreation. You possibly can’t check for that, and additionally over time. So, as an example, Stella Montis is an effective instance of a map that I feel has divided our participant base to some extent. Some individuals adore it as a result of it is excessive motion. It additionally did one thing that we did not actually notice. It modifications not solely how individuals play the recreation, but additionally the feelings that map evokes in comparison with others. Typically, I do not know in case you acknowledge this, however once I play it – and I do play it – I really feel like I am in a horror film, and I feel that is fairly cool for a recreation to have the ability to give me that feeling.
I like for the recreation to be that, however at the similar time… Some maps require a further space, some maps require a redesign of an space as a result of we do not like the circulate of the map. We will monitor every part from our knowledge. As an example, we are able to see, using a warmth map, the place motion occurs and the place gamers principally spend their time. If there’s an space of the map that is not regularly visited, that feels prefer it’s underutilized. How can we alter that so that folks get a greater gameplay expertise as they play the recreation? We for positive need to deliver up new content material, however we are able to additionally evolve and replace current content material to make it extra enjoyable and higher for gamers, and that is the intent of the map modifications.
IGN: There was a current report going round claiming that Arc Raiders had a $75 million funds. Is that determine one thing you may affirm or touch upon?
Patrick Söderlund: We’ve not communicated our growth quantity, and we can’t try this, however it’s not a whole lot and a whole lot of thousands and thousands of {dollars}. Yeah, it isn’t. I do not know, frankly, the place that quantity got here from [laughs]. It did not come from me, however it’s not too far off, if that is smart.
IGN: I noticed it floating round there with out the affirmation, so I wished it simply straight from the horse’s mouth. That is smart.
Patrick Söderlund: Yeah. We’re not going to provide a particular quantity, however ballpark? Yeah.
IGN: If you happen to may, I would like so that you can touch upon how worthwhile Arc Raiders has been for Embark, or at the least how that success has modified the studio and its staff for the higher.
Patrick Söderlund: Effectively, you do not have to be a math professor to appreciate that the recreation has executed effectively for us and that we’re clearly extremely proud of the efficiency from a monetary perspective. So, of course, it has been very worthwhile for us. What does it imply for us? Effectively, first and foremost, it implies that… Sadly, it isn’t one thing that I am joyful about, however our business has been riddled with layoffs and studio closures for the previous, I might say, 24 months. At another time, we are able to talk about what I imagine is the root trigger of that, which goes to take far longer than what now we have in the present day, however for us, it means stability, long-term safety.
We will dwell for a very long time on the cash that Arc Raiders has been producing, and that does give monetary safety and employment stability for the those who work there. We’re rising our studio, we’re hiring individuals, we need to construct extra of Arc Raiders, we need to construct extra of The Finals. We even have two new video games in growth that we hope to complete sometime. So for us, it is a sigh of reduction, clearly, for any developer, and we’re extremely joyful for that, of course, and grateful for everybody that is been supporting us by shopping for the recreation. It feels nice. Clearly, hopefully, we are able to have aggressive salaries, good bonuses for the those who have executed all this difficult work and need to be taken care of adequately.
IGN: One of the funnier conversations I’ve seen on-line needed to do with the Abyss set, and particularly its pants.
Patrick Söderlund: [Laughs].
IGN: I assume the pure query I’ve after that’s, what information or philosophy, if any, does Embark observe in creating cosmetics so as to add to the recreation?
Patrick Söderlund: Effectively, Robert Sammelin, who’s the artwork director, does all these items. First and foremost, we need to make it possible for every part suits the fiction of Arc Raiders, and that it is one thing that sits effectively inside the Arc Raiders universe. I imply, there are different video games, very profitable video games on the market – The Finals being one of them – by which the IP is designed so it mainly occurs to be very elastic. You are able to do no matter the hell you need, and individuals are like, ‘That is smart. It is utterly believable.’ I could be a pink banana, and you will be no matter, and everybody’s like, ‘That is smart. It suits the universe. No downside.’ Arc Raiders has a extra curated lore, curated world, so now we have to stay inside boundaries barely to a special extent than possibly The Finals or Fortnite or one other recreation by which Batman can shoot Bart Simpson.
That is not the imaginative and prescient for our recreation, however at the similar time, the recreation, as it’s now and from launch, is the begin of the Arc Raiders lore. We clearly need to take it, develop it additional, and additionally the artwork route additional, however the core of Arc Raiders’ artwork route and lore will nonetheless stay the similar. That will not change. I feel that is going to be crucial. I personally by no means believed that I might care about what I used to be sporting in a online game. Pay attention, I am simply being very sincere with you, however I am like a toddler. Each time one thing new comes out, I must have it. I swap my gear. I swap my backpacks and issues and charms.
I simply like to mess around with it, and I feel many individuals do as effectively. So what now we have to do is to problem ourselves and at all times make it possible for we construct issues which have the proper kind of edge. Some issues simply must be OG – if there’s such a factor as that spot in the center of what Arc Raiders is – however we additionally must construct issues which are on the fringe of what the lore and IP can tolerate with out them being a pink banana. That’s one thing that, I feel, we have executed to some extent, however I feel we are able to in all probability do extra of. Once more, we are going to in all probability have a barely segregated person base in relation to what they like, however that is in all probability wonderful given that they are cosmetics. That is in all probability the way it ought to be. So, yeah. That is variety of the place we’re.
IGN: I’ve seen some chatter about map situations and occasions. Some gamers don’t love that they’re on a rotating schedule. Does Embark have a response or rationalization for these gamers?
Patrick Söderlund: They’re on a rotating schedule for a number of causes. Clearly, we imagine that it is a half of how the recreation ought to be performed, that not every part is on the market always. We imagine that creates stress. It is a component of enjoyable. It is a approach for us to maneuver individuals from map to map, which we imagine to be necessary. Extra so, I noticed one thing on-line, that there have been no occasions happening. Typically it could possibly be, frankly, a malfunction or a bug that is entered the system that we have to repair. We do not need all the map occasions to be out there always. That is per design, and that most probably will not change. Typically we’ll allow them to keep for longer. Typically we run two or three in parallel, however they might be totally different, however we imagine that to be an element of how the recreation ought to be skilled.
IGN: With a number of new map situations coming all through Escalation, how will extra map situations have an effect on how Embark schedules and rotates occasions? Will some situations be rotated out for an prolonged quantity of time as extra discover their solution to the recreation?
Patrick Söderlund: Most likely, sure, some of them will probably be eliminated, and some they might return, or they in all probability will return in some unspecified time in the future however possibly barely up to date with a special edge. As we constructed the recreation and as we launched the recreation, we have been working very late on the [Electromagnetic Storm], I bear in mind taking part in that, and I instructed [executive producer Aleksander Grondal] and the staff, I am like, ‘I do not get this. It isn’t enjoyable. It is simply annoying.’ That was a earlier model of it. I mentioned, ‘What’s the intent of these items? Are we actually positive?’ I imply, I knew the intent, however, ‘Are we actually positive that this is a crucial half of the recreation?’
The staff mentioned, ‘Yeah, we imagine so,’ and all of [the map conditions] obtained tweaked all the approach until the finish. Chilly Snap to me, I am like, ‘That seems like a dumb concept.’ However then, once I performed it, for me, I beloved it. I assumed it was actually cool. It gave me an edge. I beloved the proven fact that I obtained chilly, that I would like to seek out shelter. It gave me one other significant approach of taking part in the recreation. Some individuals could not really feel that approach. I did. The Electromagnetic Storm, for me, nonetheless felt just a little bit annoying, however some individuals beloved it.
I feel, as a recreation developer, once you construct one thing, you simply should be wonderful with the proven fact that that is the case. Once we deliver one thing out of rotation, now we have to have a look at the knowledge and say, ‘Can we make this extra attention-grabbing? Can we make this extra enjoyable? Let’s have it make a comeback and see when that is smart.’ I additionally know that some of the map situations will probably be superb. Some of them, we can’t get proper, and we’re wonderful with that. Then, after we do not get them proper, we are going to hearken to individuals, and we are going to both take away them or change them quickly.
I actually hope that folks on the market notice that we do not sit on all the solutions. We’re gamers and builders. Our aim is to attempt and make the greatest rattling recreation we are able to with all you guys on the market, and after we do not get it proper, you may belief in us to rectify that and attempt and get it proper instantly. That is variety of what I hope for individuals to know. Most of these updates will probably be free, so simply see them as that, please, and see we’re actually attempting exhausting right here to provide you much more worth than we have given you. I hope individuals can see it that approach.
IGN: There are gamers in the dozens, it appears, leaving evaluations for a lodge in Italy referred to as the Stella Montis Resort.
Patrick Söderlund: [Laughs].
IGN: I am questioning in case you’ve seen that, and in case you can affirm or deny if the Stella Montis location in the recreation is called after this lodge.
Patrick Söderlund: I do not know the reply to that query, however [CCO] Stefan Strandberg… [laughs] I am studying them now. I see. ‘I do not suggest this for solo gamers’ [laughs]. I did not learn about that. That is superb. I really feel sorry for the poor lodge, although. I will in all probability should name them and apologize. However no, every part is impressed by areas in Italy. Stefan, it isn’t a secret, he is an Italian lover. He loves wine. He loves Italy. So there’s completely one thing there. We additionally felt like Italy is an effective place for lots of this to occur for a number of causes, however I should defer to Stefan Strandberg for that particular query. I can discover out – I’ll discover out as a result of now I am intrigued – and I in all probability will name up that lodge and apologize for what we have prompted them. That wasn’t supposed, however I will promise to get again to you with a reply on that!
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs.
Michael Cripe is a contract author with IGN. He is greatest identified for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Make sure to give him a observe on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).