The now-iconic ‘don’t shoot’ emote was at the center of a heated debate during Arc Raiders’ development.
Caio Braga, creator of Arc Raiders, shed light on the game’s testing process, revealing how developers actively challenged themselves to vary their playstyles.
Braga explained that Embark Studios implemented a randomizer to dictate the team’s playstyle for the day. This encouraged developers to explore diverse gameplay approaches, moving beyond purely aggressive tactics.
Interestingly, Braga also disclosed that at one point, the Arc Raiders team debated removing the ‘don’t shoot’ emote, which has since become a fan favorite.
“Our weapon designer was very keen on keeping the ‘don’t shoot’ emote, and it sparked a lot of discussion,” Braga recounted. “We were introducing PvP, playing very aggressively, so the question was, ‘Who would even bother using an emote like that?’ But ultimately, the team insisted, ‘No, no, we believe players will use this.’ It stayed in, and now players genuinely love and utilize it.”