It’s an extraction shooter. Not a game for everyone. For those that like that genre, it’s incredibly well-designed and a welcomed take on the genre. For those that don’t like it, won’t care for it.
The recent Server Slam had very limited progression enabled, which stunted many people’s first-time experience. The greatest thrill of extraction shooters is the moment you find loot your really want to keep and do whatever you can to extract safely. When majority of the loot was mediocre, there was no thrill.
I personally only play PvE. Played the hell out of Killing Floor, Deep Rock Galactic, and Helldivers 2. I was turned off by the PvP aspect of Arc and do wish they kept the game as PvE, but the more I played and listened to their design philosophy, I now acknowledge why they added PvP to their PvE game, the pure fact that it will keep players more engaged.
PvE alone can get very casual, which is what many dad-gamers want: something predictable to relax to. But by adding PvP, it removes the comfort and replaces with some of the most stressful experiences in gaming. It will lead to much stronger experiences at the cost of not targeting the casual market. It is definitely a deliberate decision and one that we shall see if it pays off.
Few things:
I personally only play PvE. Played the hell out of Killing Floor, Deep Rock Galactic, and Helldivers 2. I was turned off by the PvP aspect of Arc and do wish they kept the game as PvE, but the more I played and listened to their design philosophy, I now acknowledge why they added PvP to their PvE game, the pure fact that it will keep players more engaged.
PvE alone can get very casual, which is what many dad-gamers want: something predictable to relax to. But by adding PvP, it removes the comfort and replaces with some of the most stressful experiences in gaming. It will lead to much stronger experiences at the cost of not targeting the casual market. It is definitely a deliberate decision and one that we shall see if it pays off.