Latest news with #EmbarkStudios
Forbes
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Embark Apologizes For Not Shadow Dropping ‘ARC Raiders'
ARC Raiders ARC Raiders made an appearance at Summer Game Fest on Friday, which came with a new trailer and a release date. The release date was not that same day. For a long while now, the ARC Raiders community expected that like Embark's previous game, The Finals, the plan would be that it would be 'shadows dropped' during SGF. There was also some internal file-digging and countdowns that seemed to indicate that as well. That did not happen (the game will be out October 30), and despite never being promised that would happen, the community was not pleased. Not pleased enough where Embark has now issued a response that apologized for a countdown that players just assumed would be a launch. Here's the statement that was posted on Discord: 'In the lead-up to the ARC Raiders date reveal, we put out a countdown to June 6. This gave the false impression that we would be shadow dropping the game. Instead, you found out that ARC Raiders is coming on October 30, making it a countdown to a countdown.' 'The frustration and disappointment that followed is 100% our fault. The teaser we posted came from a place of genuine excitement. We finally have an actual date! But it's clear that what we saw as playful and hype-building came across as misleading and frustrating to many of you, and we get why.' FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder 'We mismanaged the hype, we misread the situation, and we're so sorry that this led to disappointment. We're making this game for you and your reaction to ARC Raiders has been humbling and overwhelming and exciting.' 'Next steps: we're putting our heads down and focusing on building the game. We know that games live and die by polish and quality, balance, and long-term fun. We need this additional time to ensure we can meet your expectations. Look here and on our socials for updates on our progress and the road to launch. Thank you for holding us to a high standard. We intend to meet it.' Arc Raiders It's a weird situation that feels like a mix of both player entitlement and ARC not capitalizing on its momentum. Or at least not managing expectations about what was or wasn't coming. ARC recent had a stellar Alpha that stepped on rival extraction shooter Marathon's Alpha, and the game simply seemed ready to go. Though somehow, ARC is now coming out a month after Marathon, which looked far less polished in its Alpha (though there is a high chance Marathon will now be delayed after that poor showing and plagiarism issues). In hindsight, the move was probably to just announce the release date at the end of the Alpha to not create a hype bubble that let fans draw their own conclusions. It does not seem like they simply could have changed their mind and shadow dropped it when they weren't planning to, as despite what the Alpha may have suggested, there is clearly more work to be done over the next 4-5 months. But no one is happy after all this, developer or fans, and this all should have been handled better by both sides. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
CNET
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
ARC Raiders Release Date Confirmed: Enter Speranza This Fall
Embark Studios, developer of The Finals, has revealed it'll release its next game, ARC Raiders, on Oct. 30. ARC Raiders is a third-person, player-versus-player-versus-environment extraction shooter set in a lush postapocalyptic world. Deadly machines have forced the last remnants of humanity to funnel into the underground city of Speranza. As medicine, food and other supplies dwindle, brave mercenaries called Raiders head topside to gun down robots (and other humans) and bring home shiny loot. Players are able to strike off on their own or band together in squads of three to increase their chances of survival. The release date reveal comes hot on the heels of the game's second tech test in May, when hundreds of thousands of players tried out the latest ARC Raiders build and tens of thousands of concurrent viewers made it one of the most-viewed games on Twitch. Embark Studios' executive producer, Aleksander Grøndal, said in a press release that the popularity of the test was the best rehearsal the developer could've hoped for ahead of the fall release. "The test also honed in on concrete things we're addressing in this last stretch of development," he said. "There are bugs to squash, as well as general polish and performance improvements to be done. We're also fine-tuning game balance and the player economy, and will work on an even better onboarding experience for players who come in new to this genre." Grøndal said ARC Raiders' postrelease support will focus first and foremost on adding new locations and new loot for players to discover. ARC Raiders' release date puts it in even more direct competition with Bungie's Marathon, which is slated for release on Sept. 23. Both games are entering a highly competitive niche gaming genre, where only giants like Escape From Tarkov have historically survived -- and many other innovative titles like The Cycle: Frontier have failed. ARC Raiders will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. The game will also be available through Nvidia GeForce Now cloud streaming.
Forbes
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘ARC Raiders' Gets A Promising, Imminent Release Date Update
ARC Raiders Players recently fought and stealthed their way from the ARC Raiders Closed Alpha, and almost everyone had a similar thought: This game seems ready for release. That's not usually the case with an Alpha, and while there were certainly balance issues, it felt like a complete game perhaps minus a few things that were being held in the test. But it didn't even look like it needed say, visual polish. There may be a reason for that, and some players believe they've found the actual release date for ARC Raiders, which may be imminent. A post-Alpha update was added to the game and for ten minutes, players dug around to find that through the .exe file it led to a 'tick counter' link which ended on June 6. In what seems like an unlikely coincidence, Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest show begins on, you guessed it, June 6. You will also never guess when Embark's last game, The Finals, debuted. That was at The Game Awards 2023, where it was instantly playable when it was shown off. A 'shadow drop.' The one difference was that there was an actual open beta for The Finals a month before The Game Awards, where there has not been anything like that here. But: 1) The game feeling ready to release 2) This dug-up date being the day Summer Games Fest starts 3) Embark shadow-dropping The Finals at a different Keighley event I mean, that all points to the idea that this June 6 date, just under two weeks from now, may in fact pan out. Arc Raiders ARC Raiders was viewed as a solid new entry in the extraction shooter genre during its last Closed Alpha, with its playercount increasing each day during the test. It also had the benefit of running the test at the same time as rival extraction shooter Marathon, the upcoming Bungie game and most players would say it compared very favorably. Marathon was more unfinished in what felt like a true Alpha test ahead of an alleged September 23 release date. Bungie just stumbled into a controversy when it was revealed that stolen art assets have been used in the game. ARC Raiders has had no such controversy and it would simply not be surprising if it dropped at Summer Games Fest. One issue with shadow drops, however, is that everyone is suddenly rushing to play all at once, creating server or login issues, which is exactly what happened with The Finals. But hopefully they're preparing for that. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How to invite your friends to ARC Raiders Playtest fast & easy?
Image via Embark Studios So, you've jumped into the ARC Raiders Playtest and you're loving it — but let's be real, games like this are way more fun with friends. The good news? You can bring your squad in. The even better news? It's super simple — once you unlock the invite feature. Here's everything you need to know to get your friends into the action before the playtest window closes. ARC Raiders Tech Test 2 - All The Details You Need Step 1: Get Playtest Access for Yourself First things first—you need to be in the ARC Raiders Tech Test 2. If you haven't joined yet, head to Steam and request access. Once approved, download the game and jump in. You can't invite friends unless you're already a playtester. Step 2: Play a Bit (Yes, You Have to Earn It) Before that "Invite Frinds" button shows up, you'll need to: by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like New Container Houses Serbia (Take A Look At The Prices) Container House Search Now Undo Play 4 rounds Spend at least 30 minutes in active gameplay Just sitting in the menu doesn't count—get in and play! Whether you win, lose, or barely survive, each round helps you unlock the invite feature. You don't need to do anything fancy—just get through those matches. Arc Raiders - Tech TEST Starter GUIDE | Sign-ups, MAPS, Traders & MORE! Step 3: Unlock & Send Your Invites Done with the 4 rounds and 30 minutes? You'll now see the "Invite Friends" option on the main menu (bottom left corner). Here's how to send invites: Click 'Invite Friends' A window will pop up with: A QR code (for mobile) An 'Open in Browser' button Open the link—it'll take you to your personal invite page Copy your unique referral link Send it to your friends (you get 2 invites total) That's it. Your friends will now be able to join the playtest—assuming they're eligible and platforms are available. Things to Keep in Mind Now that your friends have the link, here's what they need to know: Invites are limited to 2 friends per player The invite works only if they're 16+ years old Access isn't instant — platforms (like PS5 or Xbox) might take a while to open up due to high demand They should redeem the code ASAP before slots run out Sharing or selling the link = Instant disqualification. And yeah, make sure your friends redeem the invite quickly—spots can fill up fast during the test phase. Inviting friends to ARC Raiders Playtest isn't complicated. Once your friends redeem the invite and install the game, you can finally squad up and tackle ARC Raiders together. Play a bit, unlock the invite, send it over, and wait for your squad to drop in. Just don't wait too long — the playtest closes on May 4 .
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The Finals Season 6 mid-season update introduces new content and features: Limited-time event, new weapon and map, Twitch drops, and more
The Finals Season 6 mid-season update (Image via Embark Studios) Embark Studios just released a massive The Finals Season 6 mid-season update , featuring a ton of new content, balance changes, QoL improvements, and more. This update focuses on the new limited-time event called the Close Quarters Event , featuring a new map. Players will be thrown into a tightly spaced arena where they will battle in a Team Deathmatch. Furthermore, after months of waiting, the Stun Gun is finally coming back after being reworked. This article will list everything new in The Finals Season 6 mid-season update, including details on the new event, balance changes, bug fixes, and more. For more information on the patch notes and weapon balance changes, read The Finals Season 6 mid-season update patch notes: All balance changes and bug fixes. The Finals Season 6 Mid-Season update: New content and features New limited-time CLOSE QUARTERS EVENT features a new map THE FINALS | The Close Quarters Event Time to get up close and personal with our brand new limited-time event that comes with a whole new map to explore (and destroy)! Welcome to the ALFA ACTA P.E.A.C.E. (Prototype Evaluation And Combat Experimentation) Center! Junior McJohnson welcomes you to this high-pressure environment nestled deep in the [LOCATION REDACTED] woods. Here, you'll be testing out fast fights in tight spaces where every move counts. Partake in a brutal Team Deathmatch where danger lurks around every corner! The P.E.A.C.E. Center is live for a limited time, so step in and leave your mark! SPIN THE WHEEL OF TRUST As if an invitation to The P.E.A.C.E. Center isn't reward enough, ALFA ACTA has also spun up 20 potential prizes on the Wheel of Trust! During the event, hand in Daily contracts for tickets and spin to unlock something new. If you trust your luck, you might even take home BULL'S EYE BARRY, the latest and greatest smart-dummy. The festivities await! Stun Gun comes back under a new name, THE NULLIFIER The prodigal Stun Gun returns to the loadout screen with a brand new name and totally re-worked functionality! It's time to meet The Nullifier! In this newly revamped version, Contestants caught in the line of fire will be nullified, unable to take or deal damage, use items, or interact for the duration for the effect. Nullified players will still be able to move freely, so there's time to make a getaway. Equip it now and start increasing the odds by nullifying the competition! NEW TWITCH DROPS The Finals Season 6.5 Twitch Drops (Image via Embark Studios) To further celebrate, let's bring in more Twitch Drops ! Head on over to Twitch, watch your favorite streamer, and earn the four new Drops in dazzling blue! Practical, fashionable, and including an item from our latest breakout category: Nails! You may also remember us asking what weapons would be cool to pick for the next round of Twitch drops. Time for you to pick up those Sledgehammer, AKM, and XP-54 skins! So make sure to nab your Broadcase Blaze items on Twitch as soon as the Drops go live! Claw your way to victory and trim down the competition. Body Paint Category expanded We've taken the Body Paint Category and broken it down into four parts: Face paint - Anything that goes on the face Body paint - Anything that goes on the body, or full body Nails - Nail polish! Tattoos - You can now wear tattoos beneath any paint! This means you can now mix-and-match four different parts of your body-deco at once, many of which were previously merged into one! If you already own any of the old Body Paints, you'll find that your items have been separated into new separate items in these categories and are waiting for your next Outfit creation! SOCIAL Improvements It's time to grow your crew! Clubs have increased in membership so you can now invite up to 100 Contestants to take on the Arena together! You'll also find multi-channel chat is active, so you can chat with your party, your team, a whole private lobby, and your club while you play! We've also beefed up the social settings, adding chat and voice under Social, and providing options to control Background Opacity, Text Size, Turn Channel Icons off and on, and the ability to hide the Club Chat in-game. You'll notice changes to the main menu, as well! You'll be able to see your progress for Battlepass, Career, Sponsorship, Circuits, and Contracts at a glance right alongside your Contestant! You'll also notice improved updates when returning to the screen from a match. You'll always find some improvements to the social features you already know and love. PRACTICE RANGE improvements It can get lonely in the Practice Range, even with the smart dummies for company. Now you can party up and enter with two to five friends by your side. Goof around, test things out, and cause mayhem as a team! The dummies have been looking increasingly nervous on the leadup to this update… Old Las Vegas comes back into rotation We know you've been missing old Vegas so we're putting it back into rotation! Get ready for the glitz and glam of the hot lights in Quick Cash, Terminal Attack, and Ranked Tournament as you play Las Vegas 2032 ! New carriables We're also introducing a new Carriable to toss around the Arena that will feel familiar to those of you who have been here a while: The Healing Canister! Toss it to provide temporary healing to an area of effect. Throwing things at your Team has never been more rewarding! New cosmetics and bundles There's new items in the store, including a f ree Idle Inspection bundle to kick off your new Nail Polish collection: THE FINALS | Trail Threat Set And finally, a new bundle with Multibucks included that some PlayStation players may have gotten an accidental sneak preview of yesterday! Check out the Z ero-G Menace Set : THE FINALS | Zero-G Menace Set That's everything new in The Finals Season 6 mid-season update. For more information on the patch notes and balance changes, read The Finals Season 6 mid-season update patch notes: All balance changes and bug fixes.
