In the post-apocalyptic video game Arc Raiders, players are expected to scavenge for resources while fending off deadly AI machines and other human raiders. However, a surprising number of players are opting for cooperation over conflict, teaming up to take down robots or simply chatting about their lives. The phenomenon has caught the attention of developers at Embark Studios and researchers studying human behaviour.
Arc Raiders, released late last year, has sold more than 14m copies. Set in a future where survivors live underground and venture to the surface to scavenge, the game is an extraction shooter where players risk losing their loot if killed by others. Despite the high-stakes environment, roughly one in five players have never knocked out another raider, and half have knocked out fewer than ten.
Executive producer Aleksander Grøndal said the team was pleasantly surprised by the peaceful play. “We always wanted there to be room for cooperation, but it was a little bit surprising to see how many people latched on to that aspect of the game,” he said. Players have been known to hold spontaneous rave parties and share personal stories, from family struggles to health issues.
In-game encounters often involve players offering help, such as medical supplies, and engaging in conversation. A YouTube series called The Humans of Arc Raiders captures these interactions, where players discuss topics like parenting and depression. One player noted that every person he met had been friendly, contrasting with the game’s cutthroat reputation.
The trend has intrigued psychologists and criminologists, who see it as a social experiment. Grøndal believes it shows that extraction shooters don’t always have to be about conflict. “It kind of blew the whole extraction shooter open,” he said.
