Embark Studios is actively working to refine the "Expedition" system in their game, Arc Raiders. This feature, which involves an optional seasonal account reset, has generated significant discussion within the player community.
Redefining the Seasonal Reset: Embark's Vision for Player Engagement
The Current State of Expeditions: A Double-Edged Sword for Players
The "Expedition" in Arc Raiders is a distinctive feature that allows players to voluntarily reset their game progress seasonally. This process, occurring approximately every two months, effectively clears a player's account. In exchange, participants gain certain permanent advantages, such as increased storage capacity and additional perk points, along with exclusive cosmetic items as a badge of their commitment to the reset cycle. Despite offering unique rewards, this system has been met with mixed reactions due to its demanding nature.
Community Division and Key Challenges Identified
Player opinions are sharply divided on the value proposition of the Expedition. Engaging in this seasonal reset requires players to collect and contribute a substantial list of resources, leading to a significant time investment. Furthermore, opting for an Expedition results in the loss of all accumulated gear, reset quest progress, and the deletion of hard-earned craftable blueprints. This demanding cycle has led many players to question if the benefits truly outweigh the considerable effort involved.
Embark's Acknowledgment of Player Feedback and Future Direction
Virgil Watkins, the design director for Arc Raiders at Embark Studios, openly acknowledges the existing challenges and player concerns surrounding the Expedition system. He describes the current iteration as an "experiment" and emphasizes the studio's commitment to evolving it. The goal is to make the system sufficiently engaging for a broader player base without imposing mandatory resets, ensuring it remains an attractive, opt-in experience.
Rethinking the Role of Currency and System Integration
Watkins highlights the current currency-centric nature of the Expedition Project as a major area for improvement. The substantial coin investment required, even after a reduction from five million to three million, disproportionately links participation and reward to a player's accumulated wealth. Embark aims to broaden the system's integration with other game mechanics, moving beyond mere currency exchange to create a more diverse and rewarding experience tied to various in-game activities.
Balancing Rewards and Consequences: The Blueprint Dilemma
A critical aspect Embark is re-evaluating is the balance between the incentives for undertaking an Expedition and the significant losses incurred, particularly the deletion of blueprints. While retaining blueprints post-Expedition is a possibility, Watkins is exploring alternative approaches. These include systemic changes to how blueprints are discovered, acquired, or learned, with the aim of mitigating the frustration associated with losing them, rather than simply making them transferable across resets.
Anticipated Changes and a Phased Implementation Approach
Embark's strategy focuses on alleviating pressure points within the Expedition system, enhancing rewards, and making the process less punitive. This includes diversifying the types of rewards and integrating more varied gameplay elements into the Expedition journey. Watkins indicates that while the studio plans to share more details about these upcoming changes soon, players should expect a gradual implementation rather than a single, sweeping overhaul, reflecting a thoughtful and iterative development process.
