What should an Arc Raiders TV series or movie look like? Following the slightly opaque announcement of adaptations in the works at external partner Chernin Entertainment, executive producer Aleksander Grøndal of Arc Raiders studio Embark suggests there’s interest in something a little more character-driven, whereas the game is mostly about absorbing the world around you.
I spoke to Grøndal briefly about the ambitions around the adaptations of Embark’s IP, which will also include The Finals, its previous, more competitive shooter. Arc Raiders is pretty hands-off with its narrative, mostly sprinkling in details through thin quests, short cutscenes, and cinematic trailers, but while letting players write their own stories and speculate about the world. That works for an interactive game, but a series or film may need something clearer to carry the story.
“I think you’re absolutely right,” Grøndal responds. “We feel like we have created a world that’s fertile ground to tell all kinds of different stories. I think it’s really interesting to try to explore that, what that would mean, and see what comes out of it. I’m pretty excited. Of course, we all have to see what the concepts are for that. But I’m excited to see how far we can take that.”
Embark has its hands full and isn’t a TV or film crew in the first place, but even with Chernin Entertainment taking the reins, the creators of Arc Raiders will naturally be involved.
“Of course, we will be involved in some capacity,” Grøndal says. “It’s important for us to find a partner that we really can trust, and that understands what Arc Raiders is and what we’re trying to do, and can capture the essence of what makes this brand interesting and special. And we believe we found that in Chernin. So we will have to let the craftsmen do what they’re best at, and we will come with our input in terms of how we maintain the brand perspective over time, and make sure that we kind of feel like it’s coherent with our vision for where we want to take Arc Raiders over time.”
Arc Raiders is known as a story generator where players fight over resources, backstab each other, and – surprisingly frequently – form temporary alliances without hesitation. But it’s about the last vestiges of humanity working to survive long enough to understand and repel a machine threat that has effectively taken over the surface of Earth in the late 22nd century.
There’s a retrofuturist veneer to the world that I think fans of the Fallout TV series could vibe with, and the looming mystery of the titular Arc’s origins – which will seemingly be addressed in-game fairly soon – gives the somewhat Gray Goo Scenario premise a nice little hook. Which is to say: in a world where the Fallout show is remarkably good, I could actually see Arc Raiders working pretty well on the big screen if Chernin can anchor it in characters who are more compelling than the purpose-before-personality cast of the game.