Nearly three months after launch, Arc Raiders remains highly popular, prompting discussions at Embark Studios about potential new features. Game design director Virgil Watkins revealed in an interview that the team has considered adding a hub world to the game's setting, Speranza. While time and scope constraints previously sidelined the idea, Watkins expressed personal interest in its implementation.
Arc Raiders, developed by Embark Studios, has seen surging popularity in the initial months following its release. As the game enters this phase of its lifecycle, the studio is attentive to player feedback, including requests for enhancements like saved custom loadouts.
In a recent interview with PCGamesN, Virgil Watkins, the game's design director, addressed the possibility of introducing a hub world within Speranza, the planet that serves as the game's backdrop. Watkins confirmed that such a feature has been on the table during development discussions. "I mean, we've 100 percent discussed it," he stated. He explained the challenges: "It always came down to time and scope for us… We can build a menu, and the menu will do its job. And, you know, all the extra time involved in making a hub wasn't worth it, really, or we traded other features for it."
This mirrors the studio's stance on other player-suggested additions, such as custom loadouts, which Watkins indicated he would like to see added. A walkable hub world could offer a more immersive social or navigational space, but Watkins noted it would require significant adjustments compared to the current menu system. Embark's willingness to engage with these ideas underscores their commitment to evolving the game based on community input, even as they balance development priorities.
The interview highlights ongoing efforts to refine Arc Raiders, ensuring it meets the expectations of its growing player base without overextending resources.