“Embark, don’t ruin this game!” – Arc Raiders players fear a potential marketplace

Arc Raiders is undoubtedly one of the biggest multiplayer surprises of 2025. While the community has developed a reputation for being somewhat toxic, players overall appear largely satisfied with the self-described “extraction adventure.” That sentiment may soon be tested, however, after Patrick Söderlund, CEO of Embark Studios, shared details during a recent in-game interview that many fans did not receive positively.

According to Söderlund, players may soon be able to trade with one another – an idea he described as “the start of something exciting.” While no concrete details were shared, the mere mention of a marketplace was enough to raise concerns within the community. Arc Raiders currently has no official trading system, yet an unofficial black market has already emerged through Discord servers and external platforms. A sanctioned marketplace – potentially with monetization comparable to the Steam Marketplace – would legitimize and centralize this type of activity.

In response to the interview, Reddit user u/G-SW-7892 published a thread on January 6 titled “Embark, don’t ruin this game with a marketplace!” The post quickly gained traction, drawing more than 750 comments, the vast majority of which voiced agreement. According to many community members, a marketplace would undermine the game’s core mechanics, diminish the value of loot, and reduce overall motivation to play. The main arguments raised include:

• Loot devaluation: If items can be purchased, loot loses both its emotional value and its importance as a gameplay reward.
• Loss of motivation: Raids and extractions feel less meaningful if progress can simply be bought.
• Lack of foundation: The current loot pool is widely considered too small to support a functional in-game economy.

An official confirmation of an in-game trading system is still pending, but the community’s position is already clear. Whether Embark Studios chooses to take these warning signs seriously may play a decisive role in shaping the future of Arc Raiders.