Embark Studios is building on the positive reception of ARC Raiders and is now planning ambitious new features. Design director Virgil Watkins recently told PCGamesN that they’re considering adding more maps and significantly expanding the Speranza hub area, turning it into a more interactive space beyond just a menu.
The team is planning a significant overhaul of the hub town, aiming for a more immersive experience where players can freely explore, similar to the Tower in Destiny 2 or towns in Monster Hunter. According to Watkins, this idea has been discussed since the original menu-based town was designed. While they want to allow players to physically move around the hub, they also want to keep the quick access of the menu system for convenience. They’re excited about the possibility but are waiting for the right time to implement it.
“I mean, we’ve 100% discussed it,” he said. “I think it was like the first question asked when we started building the front end of the game, you know, ‘what would that experience be like?’ 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.”
I really like the idea of a central, walkable area – it feels great. However, I want to make sure accessing menus and items stays fast and easy. Right now, running between different locations – Celeste, my room, Shani’s – can be a hassle if you forget something. Of course, making things more spread out does add to the feeling of being there. We’ve talked about this a lot, and the team is generally enthusiastic about it. We’re just trying to figure out the best time to implement it.
Watkins also talked about player trading during the interview. He explained that while it’s an appealing concept, it could disrupt the game’s intended progression. A trading system might encourage players to focus on making the most money from each playthrough instead of finding the specific items their characters need.
When considering player trading, we need to ensure it doesn’t discourage the core gameplay experience. The main focus should remain on enjoying exploration, discovering valuable items, and then bringing those items back – not simply collecting large quantities of things like Lance’s Mixtapes just to sell them for profit and buy weapons.
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2026-01-20 17:11