The Arc Raiders Achievement/Trophy for killing another player in PvP combat is titled “Crossing The Threshold,” and after 120 hours of intentional pacifistic gameplay, when I saw that alert come across my screen, I felt like I had done exactly that: I’d waded into uncharted territory. More than that, I’d found myself in a world I didn’t even want to be in. I’d prided myself on never killing another player in the game. Through dozens and dozens of rounds, I’d gone well out of my way to avoid such an outcome, often being slow to shoot first, even to my own detriment. I put my trust in other players, and sometimes it would prove unwarranted. Mostly, I’d resorted to diplomacy, often talking my way out of problems with other players I’d encounter. I had so many big ideas about what it takes to return to Speranza without blood on one’s hands. To me, Arc Raiders was this exciting social experiment. How long can I effectively talk down other players who means me harm? In the end, the answer was about 122 hours of play.
The fateful encounter occurred on Stella Montis, which will be no surprise to some Arc Raiders veterans. This newest map, and the first to take place entirely indoors, is an ultra-tense setting where you are either diligently checking your corners or you’re soon bleeding out on the ground. Even in solo queues, where Arc Raiders remains mostly the bastion of good-natured and helpful PvE-only players, it feels like Stella Montis is kill-or-be-killed more than the game’s other maps.