Story Highlight
- Arena Breakout: Infinite is set to break new ground in the extraction shooter genre.
- Following its mobile release, the game has made a huge name for itself on PC so far.
- We recently spoke with the studio behind this extraction shooter, discussing various elements that the team has carefully crafted for players worldwide.
Arena Breakout: Infinite is the latest talk of the town for PC gamers. Said to rival established IPs like Escape From Tarkov, this extraction shooter has come at the right time.
Following the recent closed beta test, excitement for this launch is even higher. Morefun Studios has also been listening to the community and making key changes as the team continues to address player feedback.
Serving as a more accessible take on extraction shooters, Arena Breakout: Infinite is instantly more appealing for the average player. To discuss this player-friendly approach and more, we recently spoke with Yiming Sun, the producer behind this project.
Arena Breakout Infinite has found a lot of success during its beta. Are you able to share how many players have played the game so far?
Yiming Sun: Thank you for your kind words. The overwhelming anticipation from players worldwide has exceeded our expectations. In less than a month, total beta signups on our official website and Steam wishlists have both surpassed 1 million.
Additionally, our Discord community has grown to over 400,000 members. We are thrilled by this response, but it also brings a certain level of pressure. As this is a closed beta, I regretfully cannot provide specific player numbers at this time.
However, as you may have seen from our recent news, we have extended the beta period due to player enthusiasm. This extension allows us to continue optimizing and improving the game through player feedback.
From the visuals to the gameplay, the current beta is quite polished and high-quality. How difficult was the transition from mobile to PC for you?
Yiming Sun: I’m glad to hear that. We do hope that Arena Breakout: Infinite will provide players with a gameplay experience that stays true to the expectations of PC shooters, encompassing both graphics and gameplay.
We understand mobile and PC games offer distinct experiences and require separate design considerations. ABI was designed and optimized for PC from the very beginning, incorporating elements tailored to suit the preferences of PC FPS players. It wasn’t simply a matter of porting AB on mobile to a different platform, as some might assume
How long did you spend working on the PC version?
Yiming Sun: We started development on Arena Breakout: Infinite before the global release of AB on mobile – it’s been three years now.
It’s no secret that the Arena Breakout: Infinite has benefited from the recent controversy surrounding Escape From Tarkov. Has that situation given you some insight into how you plan to move forward with your title? Do you think this move from BattleState Games has opened up a path for titles like Arena Breakout: Infinite to find even more success within the genre?
Yiming Sun: While we were not directly influenced by the event you mentioned, we will be focusing on the following aspects of Arena Breakout: Infinite:
- Maintaining positive and effective two-way communication with players worldwide.
- Creating a diverse range of maps, weapons, game modes, and additional content to ensure a healthy and engaging cycle of game content.
- Providing players with long-term, sustainable services.
When it comes to the extraction shooter genre, there is a limited number of high-quality games in the market that consistently provide excellent service and memorable experiences for players.
I firmly believe that the extraction shooter genre is spacious enough to accommodate both existing products and new challengers. Healthy competition will continue to drive the development of the genre, meeting the needs of a broader player base.
Speaking of Escape From Tarkov, MoreFun Studios has been accused of copying the popular tactical FPS on multiple occasions. Could you tell us how your game differs from the rest and how you plan to make it more unique for the fans?
Yiming Sun: Arena Breakout: Infinite is the first free-to-play GaaS (Games as a Service) extraction shooter on the market, and we are committed to providing players with sustainable content and services. This is one of our strong competitive advantages.
Unlike many other extraction shooters, where players need to play daily to obtain loot and avoid falling behind, Arena Breakout takes a different approach. Players can join at any time during the season and have a unique experience.
Our focus is on providing a repeatable and sustainable single-match-based experience rather than emphasizing RPG-style accumulation. The gameplay of ABI is straightforward: equip, fight, and extract. Every aspect of the game is designed with this core gameplay loop in mind.
We hope to lower the barrier of entry to extraction shooters, allowing more people to enjoy the genre. Our current motto is “easy come, easy play, easy go, easy return.”
Compared to a game like Escape From Tarkov, Arena Breakout Infinite has the advantage of being free. How confident do you feel as a newcomer to the extraction shooter genre?
Yiming Sun: As a matter of fact, including Arena Breakout on mobile, we have accumulated several years of R&D and operational experience in the extraction shooter genre. Therefore, we are not exactly a newcomer to the scene. At MoreFun Studios, we often describe ourselves as “genre development drivers.”
As mentioned earlier regarding Arena Breakout: Infinite’s competitive edge and uniqueness, our exploration and validation efforts on both PC and mobile platforms over the past few years have allowed us to establish our own path within the extraction shooter genre.
We have provided players with a distinct gameplay experience that sets us apart from other extraction shooters. Combined with the invaluable feedback received from players and creators worldwide during our first closed beta test, I am confident about the future of Arena Breakout: Infinite.
How is the anti-cheat working so far? Any major cheating problems in the beta?
Yiming Sun: Cheating has always been an issue we take very seriously. Arena Breakout: Infinite uses advanced algorithms and real-time monitoring systems to detect and fight against cheating behavior, ensuring a fair gaming environment. Based on current anti-cheat measures and data, ABI’s anti-cheat system is now operating more effectively and smoothly compared to the initial test phase.
Unfortunately, no technology can guarantee a 100% anti-cheat rate. There’s also the risk of false banning. We will continuously refine and optimize our anti-cheat algorithms and methods based on extensive testing and feedback from the community.
With this in mind, we will be introducing a “Kill Cam” feature in an upcoming version, which will enable players to better assess whether or not they were defeated by cheaters.
Some players have claimed that matches can sometimes feel too empty. Do you intend to experiment with matches with higher player counts later on?
Yiming Sun: Thanks for the feedback. We believe this is due to the limited number of players involved during the current beta phase. We’ll keep an eye on this situation and make adjustments and optimizations as necessary.
The beta features two maps. How many maps can fans expect for the full launch?
Yiming Sun: We are currently focusing on the development and optimization of Arena Breakout: Infinite. Similar to Arena Breakout on mobile, we will continuously enrich the game by introducing new maps, weapons, gameplay modes, and more in the upcoming version and post-launch. Please stay tuned for upcoming official announcements.
Can you tell us about your monetization model? Will the game rely on purely cosmetic microtransactions to keep a level playing field for all players?
Yiming Sun: Thanks for bringing up this question. I know this is something that many players are concerned about. First of all, I want to emphasize and assure you that the paid content options in ABI have no impact on gameplay or fairness.
Instead, they offer convenience and personalization features. Players have the option to pay for certain conveniences, such as safes, extra warehouse space, battle passes, as well as personalized appearances and melee weapons. However, it’s important to note that players who pay gain no direct advantage in combat.
In Arena Breakout: Infinite, paying does not guarantee victory. Even if you are fully equipped, there is still a high chance of defeat – you could still lose everything. Victory or defeat is determined by factors such as shooting skill, tactical ability, and a deep understanding of the game, all of which cannot be bought.
Would you like to comment on anything we haven’t discussed in the interview so far?
Yiming Sun: I think we’ve covered most of the questions players care about. Thanks for the interview!
Arena Breakout: Infinite does not have a release date yet, but the game has made rapid progress in recent months. The current beta recently ended, so fans should expect more news very soon.
With the extraction shooter genre dominated by a few big names, Arena Breakout: Infinite has the potential to shake things up. From everything shown so far, the game seems full of potential, and we hope to see it turnout even better once the actual release rolls around.
To conclude, we would like to thank Producer Yiming Sun for conducting this interview and wish him and Morefun Studios the best of luck in the future.
Was our article helpful? 👨💻
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔
Avinash Jaisrani
[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
