Shortly before Arc Raiders launched, I caught up with Embark Studios founder and chief creative officer Stefan Strandberg. We mostly spoke about the developer's approach to making an extraction shooter – specifically, how Arc Raiders is the first game to truly understand the genre since Escape From Tarkov.
As our chat wrapped up, there was time for one last – crucially, quick – question. Truly believing it would be quick, I asked why Embark Studios didn't put enemy health bars in Arc Raiders. Some quick context: I hate seeing health bars in any game in which immersion is even somewhat valued. Every time a big red bar is slung over a character's head, it may as well be a flashing neon sign that reads "YOU ARE IN A GAME". But I digress: the point is, Strandberg is a passionate ally to the crusade against unnecessary UI. Like, really passionate.
