The final free Arc Raiders open playtest is rolling out now, showing off quests, progression and crafting

As I wrote in our King of Meat preview, I’ve long since fallen out of love with looting games. After thousands of hours rinsing RPG dungeons, I gaze upon even the shiniest and most temptingly crenelated of treasure chests with frigid contempt. But I’m not unenticed by the clanky and colourful, Deathloop meets The Division stylings of Arc Raiders, Embark and Nexon’s third-person extraction shooter, which is getting a three day open playtest this weekend.

As advertised in September, the playtest is broadly an invitation to stress-test the game’s servers before launch on October 30th, but it’s not just an exercise in subjecting some weak-ass computers to a vigorous Spartan kicking. “This event will bring you to the Dam Battlegrounds where you’ll experience elements of progression and crafting while completing a set of quests to provide you with a little taste of the Arc Raiders experience, while saving some surprises for the full launch,” the developers explain.

You don’t need a code to get in, though you will need to create an Embark ID while signing on. Access will “roll out slowly” from today on Steam and the Epic Games Store (and the consoles, bless ’em). Progress made during the Server Slam won’t carry over to the full game, but you do get a special edition backpack for your troubles.

Arc Raiders certainly likes a chunky backpack. Some of the carryalls in the trailers look like half-dismantled pianos. For all that, characters are very nimble, able to zipline between rooftops and descend rapidly to street level without getting squished by all the scrap stuffed into their rucksacks.

Developers Embark Studios are them wot did The Finals, which Graham (RPS in peace) called “the most exciting new multiplayer shooter in years”. We’ll see if lightning strikes twice. In other news, the devs have come up with an elaborate method of avoiding the usual live service game progression wipes.