ARC Raiders Servers Were on Fire, So Embark Is Giving Everyone 500 Free Raider Tokens
A classic "we're sorry" gift that's actually worth something.
The launch for ARC Raiders has been huge. Maybe too huge.
If you were trying to play at all since launch, you probably felt the pain. Shuttles were lagging, servers were struggling, and extracting was a roll of the dice. I know I lost a few good runs to what Embark is delicately calling "fine-tuning the system".
The "We're Sorry" Bonus
Well, Embark noticed. In a Discord announcement, Ossen from the ARC Raiders Team admitted they were "overwhelmed" by the sheer number of us trying to play.
To thank us for our "patience" (read: our collective screaming at the loading screen), they're rolling out 500 Raider Tokens to every single player.
They're also sending out the "Server Slammer" variant of the Hiker Backpack for those who were in the pre-launch tests. You can find both of these in your in-game inbox, which is the little mail icon next to your name in the main menu.
This is How You Build Good Will
I've got to hand it to them, this is the right move.
500 Raider Tokens is roughly €5. It's not a life-changing amount, but it's something. It's an actual, tangible apology. In an era where most studios just hit you with a "we're aware of the issues" tweet and go dark for the weekend, Embark is opening their virtual wallet.
This also helps quiet down some of the (very valid) concerns about the game's monetization. I, like many, was wary of a full-price game having a premium shop and a battle pass.
But this giveaway, plus the fact that you can earn tokens back in the (currently free) Raider Deck, shows a bit of good faith. It's a system, much like in The Finals or Helldivers, where it seems you can earn back your currency just by playing the game.
It's a smart PR move. It completely sucks the air out of the outrage over the server instability. It's hard to stay mad when someone hands you a free fiver, even if it is digital. Well played, Embark.