Arc Raiders reworked many machine designs after negative playtest feedback

Arc Raiders' machine design and AI became so notable that players fervently demanded a PvE mode in an extraction shooter. That shift wasn't straightforward; the team flip-flopped between genre ideas, at one moment aiming for Souls-inspired difficulty and the next positioning players as the powerhouse.

Production director Caio Braga said in his GDC talk that the studio's in-house data team drove several overhauls, including PvP. Some early Arc designs caused problems during playtests. Braga said the Hornet's "armour was insane and players didn't understand it very well." Sentinels lacked a targeting cone and "would just shoot at you," leaving players confused, while Fireballs originally had no weak spot that opened up when attacked, making them harder and less obvious to counter.

"Of course, making new enemies is much more fun than fixing the ones you have that aren't performing," Braga said, but playtest data made fixes necessary. After addressing a handful of Arcs, player sentiment flipped positive.

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