Arc Raiders Boss Says Bungie Did a 'Really Good Job' Addressing Feedback After 'Heavily Criticized' Marathon Playtest

Patrick Söderlund, CEO of Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios, is praising Bungie aft the Marathon squad managed to efficaciously code playtest feedback “in a precise abbreviated play of time.”

The workplace enforcement further extinguished the extraction shooter beef during an interrogation with GamesIndustry.biz. In betwixt questions astir the improvement of Arc Raiders, helium gave his thoughts connected Marathon, Bungie's competing acquisition that launched March 5.

Although fans person spent months arguing astir whether the Marathon revival could basal toe-to-toe with Arc Raiders, Söderlund took the accidental to observe the erstwhile Halo developer’s accomplishments frankincense far. He specifically calls attraction to however rapidly the acquisition changed aft aboriginal playtests yielded what Sony described arsenic “varied” feedback from fans.

"I cognize their method trial past twelvemonth was heavy criticized,” Söderlund said. “Whether that was close oregon fair, I can't archer you. But what I tin archer you is that, adjacent though the feedback whitethorn beryllium a small mixed, it looks similar the squad has done a truly bully occupation of turning what was a large occupation astir successful a precise abbreviated play of time. That's unusual."

"[...] It looks similar the squad has done a truly bully occupation of turning what was a large occupation astir successful a precise abbreviated play of time. That's unusual."“

He continued, wishing Bungie the champion present that the squad has applied that feedback to the motorboat build: “So recognition to that squad and to the enactment that they person done with the game. I anticipation that they bash well."

Bungie precocious faced disapproval from fans aft Marathon players noticed that “Arc Raiders” had been censored successful its in-game chat. It was a confusing infinitesimal that was rapidly rectified erstwhile it was uncensored arsenic authoritative societal media accounts for some extraction shooter experiences shared a wholesome infinitesimal online. It’s hard to accidental wherever Marathon volition spell from here, arsenic post-launch enactment is lone conscionable beginning, but Söderlund’s comments astatine slightest amusement there’s lone affable contention to beryllium recovered from Embark.

"I consciousness similar [Marathon] is much PvP [player vs. player] prone," helium added erstwhile comparing the differences betwixt Marathon and Arc Raiders. "PvE [player vs. environment] doesn't consciousness similar the absorption of that game. But determination are a batch of things successful determination that I really similar that they've done well. I similar that what I bash successful the crippled is linked to my progression. There are galore things successful determination that I really deliberation they've done a bully occupation with.”

While Marathon is lone conscionable getting started, players person already spent months with Arc Raiders since its motorboat successful October 2025. For more, you tin work astir wherefore we deliberation immoderate Maraton quests are lone getting successful the mode of the fun. You tin besides cheque retired our caller interrogation with Söderlund, wherever we learned much astir however Embark plans to proceed gathering connected its PvPvE shooter.

Michael Cripe is simply a freelance writer with IGN. He's champion known for his enactment astatine sites similar The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be definite to springiness him a travel connected Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).