I'll come right out and say it: I'm not big on PvP gameplay. I get the appeal of it, and I even understand why some of my friends are more interested in it than PvE. However, PvP and I have not had a great history, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm not a very competitive person, for one thing, but I also don't have the time nor the willpower to train myself to become more effective against other players who either have more time on their hands than I do or just a knack for competitive gameplay. That's why my newfound love for Arc Raiders is so surprising to me, though after playing it for nearly 40 hours, I completely understand why.
As a PvPvE game, at first, Arc Raiders terrified me. I knew there was a high chance I would be brutally destroyed by other players just minutes into my first round, which ultimately led to me playing more cautiously than I do as the more seasoned player that I am now. But after a while, I began to notice something really peculiar about Arc Raiders that I hadn't been expecting. Specifically, this particular PvPvE game is actually so challenging on the PvE side that there are plenty of players out there who are just trying to survive like me. And while there have been times that I've been shot in the back by another Raider, for the most part, Arc Raiders is restoring my faith in the gaming community.
PvP and I Haven't Had a Great Relationship
I will admit without shame that the reason I'm not too fond of PvP gameplay is simply because I'm not good at it. It takes a level of speed and precision that I just don't think I will ever have, primarily because I'm not willing to put in the time necessary to develop such skills. And when it comes to games like Arc Raiders, where the PvP is optional, I fall on the more compassionate side in that I feel guilty for killing another player in cold blood — unless they shoot first.
But that inherently makes it frustrating when someone makes it their sole purpose in life to ensure you can't have fun playing a game. No matter how much you refuse to engage with them, there are some players who will stop at nothing to prey on the weak. I get it; I'm an easy target, so why not take the shot? One might suggest I just never play a PvP game if I can't take the heat, but forgive me for being curious about games like Call of Duty or being stuck on a PvP World of Warcraft server because that's where my friends are.
Arc Raiders Is Teaching Me That Not All Players Are Out for Blood
Since Arc Raiders is an extraction shooter and none of my friends really like extraction shooters, I've been playing it solo, for the most part. I did attempt a few matches with other players just to see what it was like, but what I noticed is that it leaned more heavily on the PvP side because, of course, you naturally feel stronger when you're in a group. That's not to say that my time in solo play has been completely devoid of PvP gameplay, though, as I have been ambushed and tricked into falling onto my own sword a time or two.
But those very few interactions haven't had any effect on my desire to keep playing Arc Raiders. Why? Because I've encountered far more players who are passive, kind, and actually helpful than I have the opposite. Playing Arc Raiders solo, I can use emotes like "Don't shoot!" And "Team up?" To discourage other players from attacking, and somewhere around 95% of the time, it works. I know this hasn't necessarily been the story for everyone, but it has been for me — and it's teaching me that not all players are out for blood.
Again, I'd say that a lot of this comes down to how well Arc Raiders balances its PvE and PvP gameplay. Embark has created a world that is almost just as unforgiving as the typical competitive gamer, which inadvertently leads to the players in it doing whatever they can to ensure their raid is as safe and efficient as possible. Maybe that really is what it is. But maybe it's also just because Arc Raiders seems to have a great community so far.
ARC Raiders
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
- Released
- October 30, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Violence, Blood
- Developer(s)
- Embark Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Embark Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Extraction, Shooter, Third-Person Shooter, Survival
