Embark is bullish about ARC Raiders precisely because it aims to do the opposite of Marathon; still, design director Virgil Watkins fears there may not be enough room in the market for two such similar games at the same time.

The rise of extraction shooters keeps inviting comparisons among the genre’s biggest names, and ARC Raiders quickly found itself measured against Bungie’s much-anticipated return, Marathon. With both titles going through playtests almost simultaneously — despite different release windows — Embark Studios leaned into the coincidence to polish where Halo’s original creators’ new project might have fallen short.

ARC Raiders Also Wonders: Is There Room for Two Such Similar Games?

Design director Virgil Watkins told PC Gamer the tight timing was “a happy coincidence” that became a valuable test for his team. “It just happened that their playtest landed when ours did. As far as I know, neither side planned it. It was a great opportunity because they made decisions we didn’t — and vice versa. It allowed us to compare and contrast how some of those things played out,” he said.

While ARC Raiders and Marathon differ in approach, comparisons are inevitable. Both aim to succeed in a demanding blend of exploration, resource extraction, and tactical combat. PC Gamer noted that “both studios need their extraction shooters to be a hit,” yet doubts remain about whether the audience can sustain two such titles at once. Watkins said it was instructive to watch players respond to match pacing, loot management, and squad coordination, adding that cross-learning strengthens the genre and opens new ways to engage players.

As for Marathon, Watkins was positive about Bungie’s work, praising its art direction and aesthetic ambition: “I find the art very evocative… I’m curious to see how it evolves. I hope to see more of that in the future.”

Source: 3DJuegos