Arc Raiders Dev Says They're Still Figuring Out How To Balance PvE And PvP

Arc Raiders has been doing great since launch. Embark managed to hold on to its player base in a way that giants like Call of Duty and Battlefront couldn't, and even kept things fresh with frequent updates. However, things haven't been going smoothly since the Riven Tides update. Players have been complaining about a number of issues, most notably the balance between PvE and PvP.

A big part of the community has been complaining about the PvP aspect of the game since launch, and hoping that the devs will eventually add a PvE mode. However, the game wouldn't really be the same without the PvP aspect. Unfortunately, it looks like things have only gotten worse after the latest update, and Embark is still trying to strike the right balance.

Arc Raiders Is Still Figuring Out How To Tweak PvE and PvP

arc raiders characters holding guns and wearing different skins.

In a conversation with GamesRadar+, design director Virgil Watkins said that while there are still issues with the balance, the developers at Embark are slowly getting to the point of perfecting it. As with any live game, the balance and the meta always change when new content is added, but that applies doubly so when it has elements of PvP and PvE, like Arc Raiders does.

Watkins revealed that it's "not a simple balance to get right. Something we've learned, and are still learning, is how to tune those PvP and PvE elements so that they feel fair, rewarding, and aligned with what players expect, while still staying true to the core vision of the game."

"One element I think we got pretty right is that the PvE elements command your attention and respect almost as much as other players do; maybe more sometimes," he added. "When the PvE elements are genuinely compelling, they make the player interactions even more impactful."

However, it's a different animal when PvP is involved. While the "unpredictability" is a core part of the fun, it's also what gives the devs their biggest problem. "You're not just designing around AI encounters or player-versus-player competition in isolation but rather creating situations where those systems interact," Watkins said.