The new Arc Raiders update gives us a glimpse into the beforetimes, and it turns out people were rude then, too

The latest Arc Raiders update is a hefty one: a new map, an ominous-looking Arc threat, and more collectible trinkets than you can shake a sun lounger at. The last location we were treated to was Stella Montis, which, as many of you will already know, can be an absolute nightmare in the multiplayer game – cramped spaces filled with Raiders that have a taste for blood.

I’m not quite sure what breeds aggression in those who love Stella, but every time I venture into the veritable maze that is the old facility, it ends up in a bloodbath (usually my own). In other locations, it’s fairly common to find Raiders who are willing to talk, and even cooperate, and I’m hoping the lazy beachside surroundings of the new Arc Raiders map, Riven Tides, will promote a carefree, bullet-free lifestyle.

Onto Riven Tides, then. We got a deep dive into exactly what to expect from the new location last night, and there is a lot. The map itself looks gorgeous; a dilapidated residential sprawl with a resort twist. There are hotels, tennis courts, and places on the beach where families would have relaxed before the Arc arrived. The trailer above gives us snippets of relaxed conversations and also people being rude to wait staff (that person probably deserves everything they got).

It’s a peek into something we haven’t really gotten before. Yes, I can find artifacts of lives lived while Topside – a cat bed, an old snow globe – that hint at normality, but hearing it in action hits a little bit differently. The world I inhabit when I play Arc Raiders is one of struggle, but these people had no such thing, and it makes me quite wistful.

The new Arc threat strangely echoes this slight melancholy. Most of the Arc threats presented to me on a run are fairly one-dimensional – they skitter about the place, and if they see me, I’m toast. It’s a straightforward relationship and one I’m very much used to. The Arc Turbine, however, well, it just floats gently across the map, lonely as a cloud. It’s slow and pondering, and for a minute, you would be forgiven for thinking there’s no threat at all.

There is, though. There’s always a threat. I don’t have the luxury of a round of tennis or a gourmet meal at a restaurant. I have to gear up and gather just enough to go again the next day. It’s a vicious cycle, but one that I love, and I can’t wait to get back to it.