Has the major update “Riven Tides” ARC Raiders saved it or was it just a small drop on a blazing hot stone?
Almost 2 weeks ago, I analyzed the current state of ARC Raiders and addressed the question of why the extraction shooter has steadily lost players over the past weeks and months, whether an update brings improvement, and explained why I believe that significantly larger changes are necessary.
In the analysis, I outlined a number of issues that ARC Raiders currently has which lead to a decrease in player numbers:
- Cheaters
- Lack of content
- Meaningless loot
- Failure to meet the needs of both PvE and PvP players
The various problems lead to the endgame currently feeling unrewarding. ARC Raiders needs more variety and better rewards, so that players have an incentive to keep playing the game even after hundreds of hours when they have already seen and done everything.
Last week, the big “Riven Tides” update was released, which brought the eponymous map, a new powerful ARC named “Turbine”, new items like the crash mat and the “Powered Descender” (the German name is terrible), as well as 2 new projects and a new expedition.
But did the update really bring improvement?
The Dilemma: Renewed Upturn, Accompanied by a Foul Breeze
Looking at the bare numbers, the update was a success. While the daily peak of player numbers before the update was around 80,000-100,000, they were able to rise to 107,000-134,000 in the week after the update. And even the lowest values have risen from nearly 30,000-35,000 to about 49,000-53,000 (via SteamCharts).
That’s good, right? – The truth is: It’s so-so.
The numbers show that ARC Raiders still has great potential and loyal fans, and that new content can actually bring players back. However, on May 4th, the peak of only 95,000 players was already significantly weaker than the previous day with 120,000 players. By May 5th, it was only 88,000.
The coming days will tell whether the player count boost from the update will persist or already decline and ARC Raiders will return to the downward spiral. The mood in social networks reflects this situation well:
Some players are having fun with the new content and just play. Others are disappointed with the update and the lack of changes.
Many players complain about nerfs to weapon durability and the photoelectric cloak. Additionally, the changed trials system is still criticized. Some players on Reddit believe, for example, that all weeks of a trials cycle should count towards unlocking the skin reward and not just the final week. Currently, it makes no sense to grind the trials in another week.
Furthermore, there continues to be criticism of the expeditions and the quest system, which remain unchanged, repetitive, and unrewarding. Even players who are fans of the expeditions and the associated reset of progress are sometimes losing interest in playing upcoming expeditions because they do not want to complete the same quests for worthless rewards again.
It becomes clear:
No matter how good the new content including the “Riven Tides” map may be, if the endgame is not enjoyable, players will be frustrated.
Not Everyone is a Grump
In the last analysis, I explained why ARC Raiders does not have to worry if the Steam player numbers drop to, for example, 25,000 to 70,000 players. The shooter will eventually reach a “normal level” where it will stabilize and which will be much lower than the incredible numbers from the release.
But one must not forget that players who are completely happy and having fun are rather rare to open Reddit and post about it. They prefer to play. Therefore, there are often more negative than positive posts, which in turn receive more attention/support because frustrated gamers often use social networks as an outlet for their woes.
It is quite possible that there are thousands of players who simply enjoy ARC Raiders in silence and continue to have fun in the game. Just like me when I collect little ships on the beach: ARC Raiders broke my greedy heart, but now I know what I will do for the next 100 hours of play
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