Players of Arc Raiders who spawn into maps late actually tend to profit more economically, according to a recent interview with design lead Virgil Watkins. This finding challenges the common belief that being late to the fight is a disadvantage.
The issue of delayed spawns was addressed directly in an interview published by GamesRadar. The discussion focused on whether it is good for players who find themselves arriving a bit late to the party. It turns out, based on the data Embark Studios can see, these players actually tend to extract with more cash in their pockets.
“But similar to the perception of free kits versus what they do, the perception around late joining and what it affords you has been quite interesting,” Watkins said. “Players are like, ‘The loot’s all gone,’ or whatever else. But players who late join economically profit way more than people who aren’t.”
Watkins explained that the session, when it is fresh, eventually gets quieter. Very often, late joiners come across the remnants of fights. They can maybe take out bigger drones or hit high-ticket areas more readily than other players. So that has been a very interesting thing for the team to look at.
Watkins elaborated further, stating that the purpose of late spawns was to make sure that maps weren’t largely barren of players after around 10 minutes. This design choice keeps games fresh throughout the entirety of the match. The team had hoped that players entering a match late would be happy to pivot to alternative goals if they didn’t have time to achieve what they initially wanted.
However, in limited-time events or locked rooms, Embark does acknowledge that a genuine sense of frustration is present. The matter of late spawns is being looked into. The goal is to try and find a balance between keeping maps populated and removing that feeling of missing out on stuff at no fault of your own.
“With things like trials, where that is the only objective, then fine, that’s kind of off the table and that really sucks, because that was the time you had set aside for it,” Watkins confirmed. “I think trying to do more on that side of things is where I want to look next.”
Coming in with a dedicated purpose and having that undercut by the late join is where the team wants to remove the pain point first. The developers are aware of the annoyance regarding having no time for objectives. They are working on solutions to make the experience fairer for everyone.
The data suggests that while late spawning can be frustrating for specific tasks, it offers a unique economic advantage in general gameplay. Players who arrive late often find the map already cleared of smaller threats, leaving bigger targets and high-value loot available for the taking.
This insight into the game mechanics shows that Embark Studios is closely monitoring player behavior. They are using this information to refine the game experience. The balance between keeping maps active and ensuring player satisfaction remains a priority for the development team.
