The video game Arc Raiders is set in a deadly, apocalyptic future where survivors are forced to live deep underground in colonies while mysterious, murderous AI machines called Arcs patrol the surface. Only the desolate ruins of former cities remain, and reckless human “raiders” venture topside on dangerous scavenging missions.
Despite the threat of these armed robots, the deadliest danger in this hugely popular game—released late last year with over 14 million copies sold—is often other players. Raiders live with the constant fear that someone will shoot them on sight and steal their loot. In this competitive, high-stakes world, mercilessness is rewarded.
So it came as a surprise to the game’s developers at Sweden’s Embark Studios that many players aren’t shooting each other at all. “It caught us a little bit by surprise,” says executive producer Aleksander Grøndal, noting that many are playing “a more peaceful version of the game than we anticipated.” He quickly adds, “Pleasantly surprised, just to be clear.”
Unintentionally, the game has become a kind of social and psychological experiment, raising questions about game design—and human nature—that intrigue social scientists, psychologists, and criminologists. Roughly one in five players have never taken out another raider, and half have eliminated fewer than ten.
In most shooters, from Fortnite to Counter-Strike, killing other players is the objective and the way to earn points. (Many of Embark’s developers have experience with fast-paced shooters like Battlefield and Call of Duty.) Arc Raiders is part of a notoriously cutthroat subgenre: the extraction shooter, where players compete against each other and the environment, racing against the clock to escape each round alive with their scavenged treasure. Sessions are intense, with high-risk, high-reward gameplay where death often strikes at the last moment—just as you’re ambushed by another player looking to steal your hard-earned loot. So why aren’t Arc Raiders players behaving as mercilessly as the world demands?
Grøndal says the team knew there was room for some cooperation. “We always wanted that to be the case, but it was a little surprising to see how many people latched onto that aspect of the game… It kind of blew the whole extraction shooter open, because it doesn’t always have to be about conflict with other players.”
What are people doing instead of shooting each other in this ravaged world? Many team up to take down the robot monsters, which range from flying drones to spherical fire-blasters. Others try to sneak quietly past them to scavenge rare resources. Grøndal says players also hold spontaneous rave parties, playing music through their microphones.
But often, players are just talking. A YouTube video called The Humans of Arc Raiders, inspired by the photographer who interviews strangers in New York City, features conversations with randomly encountered players. They discuss family struggles, work lives, depression, autism, and in one case, a collapsed lung. In one exchange, a heavily armed player in green armor named Poopy candidly asks another raider, “What’s it like having kids, dude?”
When I first jumped into Arc Raiders, I found a contrast on the surface, where birds sing and plants thrive among the wreckage of downed machines. The more I wandered through this 1970s-style retro-future setting, the more I encountered other humans, many of whom offered help—like medical supplies. Mostly, we just sneaked around together.We battled robots together. It was tense at times, sometimes scary, but often relaxing.
In one session, I met another player with a British accent who was also new to the game. “Have you been killed by another player yet?” he asked me as we explored a ruined concrete dam complex. “Because everyone I’ve met has been friendly,” he added. “No one kills each other.”
I must have gotten used to the lack of human-on-human violence, because the first time I was eliminated by another person, I felt genuinely offended. I’d been lulled into a warm sense of camaraderie, and it was hard not to be upset—like my attacker had broken an unwritten rule that we were all supposed to help each other.
That was actually the original vision for the game Embark had hoped to create: a shared fight against machines where players physically couldn’t harm each other. But late in development, they worried it might get boring, so they added unpredictable human encounters to raise the tension.
Interestingly, Arc Raiders features a lot of spoken communication, with players using their microphones more than in many other games. You can hear anyone nearby, allowing you to shout “I’m friendly!” or “Peaceful! Peaceful!” More than 95% of players use this proximity chat, according to Grøndal.
Many players still shoot on sight, but they’re in the minority. Embark told the Guardian that about 30% of players focus mostly on cooperation, another 30% prefer player-versus-player combat, and the remaining 40% enjoy a mix. Solo players tend to be friendlier, while those in squads of three are often more interested in firefights.
Sean Hensley, a graphic artist from Tennessee who makes YouTube videos about mental health and gaming, has taken an interest in Arc Raiders. He believes players value “connection over competition.” “What players are getting from these friendly interactions is more rewarding than any game loot system or victory screen,” he said in a recent video.
The strongest catalyst for cooperation, though, might be a common threat. When Embark introduced a massive walking mechanical enemy called the Matriarch, Grøndal expected rival squads to wait for others to use up their ammo before attacking to steal the loot. Instead, players used proximity chat to team up. “In an instant—literally in less than 30 seconds—everyone on that server stopped shooting each other and faced the bigger challenge together,” he said. “I hadn’t really anticipated that every single one would cooperate that easily.”
This kind of unexpected player behavior can be tricky for developers, who adjust an enemy’s difficulty based on how they expect people to play. If a huge robot is taken down too easily, it’s less fun—and when everyone cooperates, it can happen in minutes. “If it’s so easy for people to stop turning on each other,” says Grøndal, “we need to up the challenge.”
Whether players are seeking human connection or making a calculated decision that cooperation is more profitable is a question for scientists, not game developers, Grøndal notes. He was recently contacted by a criminologist who was “really intrigued by how players are interacting with each other.”
Embark CEO Patrick Söderlund has mentioned that a neurology professor friend tapped him on the shoulder, interested in what could be learned from Arc Raiders.He has his own theories about human behavior, rooted in the modern epidemic of isolation and loneliness. “I think people are seeking connections with other players, and maybe this isn’t so easy to do in the real world anymore because everyone is stuck on their phones,” he says. “Maybe we’ve accidentally created a place for people to connect.” Because the virtual interactions are temporary, Grøndal believes the game functions as a safe space to connect with others and open up without fear of repercussions or judgment.
This matches my own experience in Arc Raiders, where I met plenty of people, but usually only for a few minutes before one of us vanished into the wilderness.
Arc Raiders is certainly not what it first appears to be. While it looks like a bleak future where humanity is struggling, there is hope here. “Yes, the Arcs have captured the surface and they are dominant. But if you look around, nature has recovered from an ecological collapse,” Grøndal says. “The animals are back and the world is thriving. We want to instill hope in the player.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the video game Seeking Connection designed to sound like questions from real players
Getting Started The Basics
Q What kind of game is Seeking Connection
A Its a narrativedriven nonviolent adventure game Instead of fighting you progress by having meaningful conversations solving social puzzles and building relationships with characters
Q Is there any combat at all
A No The core mechanic is dialogue Your weapons are empathy active listening and choosing your words carefully to understand others and resolve conflicts
Q What platforms is it available on
A Its available on PC PlayStation Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Q Is it a singleplayer or multiplayer game
A It is a singleplayer experience focused on your personal journey and the stories of the characters you meet
Gameplay Mechanics
Q How do you win or progress in the game
A You progress by deepening your connections This can mean uncovering a characters full backstory helping reconcile two feuding factions through dialogue or simply reaching a moment of genuine understanding The game is more about the journey than a traditional win state
Q What happens if I choose the wrong dialogue option
A Theres rarely a single wrong choice but your decisions shape the relationships and story You might miss some information cause someone to be temporarily guarded or unlock a different unexpected path You cant die but you can experience friction or alternative outcomes
Q Are there puzzles or is it just talking
A There are social and environmental puzzles For example you might need to learn about three characters histories to understand the root of a village dispute or piece together clues from conversations to find a lost item that has sentimental value
Q Is there a morality or karma system
A Not a visible bar The game reacts organically to your choices Characters remember if you were patient dismissive curious or judgmental and it affects how they interact with you later
Content Experience
Q Whats the main story or goal
A You play as a traveler in a world weary of conflict seeking to understand the
