Even if you don’t play extraction shooters, you should try ARC Raiders

You have probably heard of ARC Raiders by now, and its overwhelmingly successful launch. The highly anticipated title from Embark Studios quickly became one of the most played games on Steam, and if you’re still hesitant to try it because it’s an extraction shooter, let me give you a few reasons why you should.

As someone who barely plays extraction shooters, ARC Raiders has been one of the best multiplayer experiences in recent times. I previously played The Cycle: Frontier, Escape from Tarkov (if only briefly), and Delta Force. They all have their strengths, but the overall loop of an extraction shooter didn’t hook me. The Cycle: Frontier had sci-fi environments, Tarkov has realism, and Delta Force has gunplay, but every game is about looting, hoping not to get shot by another player, extracting, rinse and repeat. Extractions shooters have always been about pressure from other players, and that just didn’t feel fun.

ARC Raiders still has all the elements of an extraction shooter, but one nature-altering feature is its PvE enemies, ARC. ARC machines aren’t your regular pushovers. They’re aware, persistent, and deadly. This leads to fewer PvP fights and more friendly interaction using gestures or proximity chat, especially when playing solo.

Many Raiders ignore others as they go on about their business, completing quests or gathering supplies. Some team up and trade resources or help each other complete quests. I once met a Raider very early into the match, and the first thing I heard was “Hey, have a good raid.” In what other extraction shooter can you see the same? I saw people waiting for trains on Buried City, like it was a regular metro station, and players coming up to me to ask directions for quests.

Don’t be mistaken, there are still people who will shoot you on sight, camp, and even betray you—not everyone wants to share the best loot in the game after all, but you never know what kind of social experience you’re going to get every time you load into the raid. The number of times I extracted with multiple random players is surreal for an extraction shooter.

Having to worry less about the PvP side of things also allows you to immerse yourself in the game more through lore, quests, and immersive audio design, all while collecting a ton of loot topside. Progression in ARC Raiders involves a lot of gathering, upgrading, and crafting. There are materials, weapons, trinkets, and blueprints to unlock new crafting recipes. Craft or buy better gear to take on more challenging environments, like night raids or enemies like the Queen, and try not to run out of stash space in the meantime.

Regardless of whether you decide to put your best gear to use or hoard it in the stash, the loot will always be there until you need it, because, unlike many extraction shooters, ARC Raiders doesn’t have mandatory wipes. Instead, there are voluntary wipes through the Expedition Project for additional rewards, but you can keep progressing, making the game more accessible to all players.

So, even if you have been wary of extraction shooters so far, ARC Raiders might become an exception, like it did for me, with enough PvE things to do, no mandatory wipes, and players who may not necessarily shoot you on sight.