Recently, Arc Raiders’ design director, Virgil Watkins, provided insights into how the feedback received from the playtest of Marathon influenced their own development strategy. In a discussion with Tyler Wilde, he mentioned, “It was a very great A/B test for us, because obviously they made decisions that we didn’t, and vice versa.”

This parallel testing period was highlighted as a significant opportunity for both games, emphasizing the importance of understanding player reactions to different design choices. Morgan Park, a member of the PC Gamer team, noted similar excitement and skepticism about the potential of both games succeeding in a saturated genre.

Key Points

• Dual Testing: The timing of the tests for both games created a unique environment for comparing player reactions.
• Design Decisions: Differences in decisions made by the two teams led to valuable contrasts that could potentially enhance gameplay.
• Future Vision: Watkins expressed hope to see more of the artistic direction from Marathon in future titles.