"Arc Raiders", a game released in 2025, has garnered considerable acclaim for its immersive gameplay experience, particularly highlighting its well-paced missions, diverse side activities, and the thrill of successful extractions. However, despite these strengths, a notable aspect that players find challenging is the inventory system. Many express frustration with the cumbersome process of organizing their gear and setting up loadouts, which can detract from the desire to quickly re-engage in the action. This sentiment is widely shared within the player community, indicating a common pain point that impacts the overall flow of the game.
The game's lead designer, Virgil Watkins, has openly acknowledged the community's concerns regarding the current inventory and loadout system. He confirmed in a discussion with GamesRadar+ that the development team at Embark Studios is "super aware" of the players' desire for more efficient ways to manage their items and customize their loadouts between missions. Watkins empathizes with players who sometimes opt for a default loadout rather than spending excessive time navigating through menus to fine-tune their gear. This highlights a critical area for improvement where the game's intuitive action-oriented design clashes with its complex pre-mission preparations.
Watkins elaborated that the current state of the inventory system is partly due to development priorities and available resources leading up to the game's launch. Now, the team is actively assessing how to balance the implementation of enhanced inventory features against other ongoing development tasks. The possibility of introducing saved loadouts, which would automatically fulfill a player's preferred gear setup based on available resources, is under consideration. This feature aims to significantly reduce the time spent in menus, allowing players to jump back into the action more swiftly, aligning with the game's core appeal of dynamic and engaging encounters.
The consensus among both players and the development lead is that while some friction and attentiveness can enhance a game's experience, navigating through numerous menus for basic setup is not one of them. The true enjoyment of "Arc Raiders" lies in the thrill of exploring the game world, battling formidable robots, and acquiring valuable loot. Therefore, any improvement that minimizes menu interaction and maximizes time spent in active gameplay, particularly through more streamlined inventory and loadout management, would be a welcome enhancement, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the game's most rewarding aspects.