This led to a discussion about the potential for a “PvP singularity,” where players might be incorrectly flagged as aggressive simply for defending themselves. Watkins addressed how the game identifies an aggressor.
“It’s a valid concern because our systems can identify who initiated a firefight and who sustained damage,” Watkins says. “However, the technology doesn’t attempt to decipher intent. If a less-skilled player attacks a veteran and misses every shot, and the veteran kills them in self-defense, the system only sees the kill. It doesn’t know who started it if the shots didn’t land.”
“Because of this, we don’t apply moral or value judgments. The game isn’t ‘punishing’ you for your playstyle. It simply tracks whether you are participating in PvP encounters. It’s a relatively blunt tool at this stage, which is why we are constantly analyzing match data to fine-tune how players are grouped.”
Watkins agreed that this mechanic is naturally self-correcting. Players who actively avoid combat will gravitate toward lobbies with like-minded individuals, though the “gradient” nature of the system means there will always be unpredictable elements. While many video game karma systems fail due to being too predictable, Arc Raiders offers a more nuanced approach to player interaction.
