Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Crimson Desert
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
Don't miss these
Arc Raiders player holding a gun in red light
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders studio contacted by crime scientist "intrigued by how players are interacting"
Arc Raiders player holding a gun
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders players set up bounty board to hunt down rats, make streamer TheBurntPeanut the most-wanted
Arc Raiders characters drinking at a bar
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders players hate the new Expedition system, which requires you to play on 5 specific days
Arc Raiders Wasp Hunter armor set with yellow leather
Third Person Shooters "Players shouldn't feel fully safe" in Arc Raiders even in friendly lobbies, lead dev says
Arc Raiders automaton in a headset
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders' latest patch fixes crashes and issues before Riven Tides
Arc Raiders character holding golden sledgehammer on dark blue starry background
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders lead says a "prominent professor in neurology" encouraged him to submit the extraction shooter to science
Arc Raiders characters standing together
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders devs now force themselves to act nice in playtests to understand friendly players
Arc Raiders characters drinking at a bar
Third Person Shooters As Arc Raiders gets stale for some, dev says players "reaching the end of our content" are a focus
The Last of Us 2
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders lead was surprised The Last of Us players liked the game, just not "PvP all the time"
Arc Raiders characters with shotgun and revolver
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders devs love the self-described sheriffs of PvP: "Those are some of the better moments"
Arc Raiders Flashpoint
Third Person Shooters Everything in the the Arc Raiders Flashpoint update
Arc Raiders
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders "needs that element of tension and risk" from PvP, but Embark knows people are loving its "safer lobbies"
Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky tease shows a weathervane in front of a cloudy background.
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders boss says Marathon has "done a really good job" fixing things after "heavily criticized" technical test
Arc Raiders stash screenshot of legendary and epic guns
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders devs have discussed special raids like high-value rounds where you have to bring in good gear, but "don't want to segment the player base too much"
Arc Raiders pink survivor bag
Third Person Shooters If you want to keep some blueprints in Arc Raiders after each Expedition, it's not "off the table," but it is "tricky"
  1. Games
  2. Third Person Shooters
  3. Arc Raiders

Arc Raiders boss says he'll "apologize" to Italy's Stella Montis hotel after it's flooded with reviews from players: "I didn't know about that. That's amazing"

News
By Austin Wood published 9 February 2026

Sorry, Stella Montis

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Arc Raiders automaton in a headset
(Image credit: Embark Studios)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
0
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Arc Raiders is set in a near-futuristic Italy, so in a sense it's no grand surprise that a real hotel shares a name with the map Stella Montis, notorious among raiders as a hive for PvP, ratting, and every other form of player skullduggery. After learning that Arc Raiders players had besieged the Stella Montis hotel with reviews parodying their experience with the game, CEO Patrick Söderlund of developer Embark Studios says he'd like to "apologize."

Speaking with IGN, Söderlund said he hadn't actually heard of this hotel review trend: "I'm reading them now. I see. 'I don't recommend this for solo players' [laughs]. I didn't know about that. That's amazing. I feel sorry for the poor hotel, though. I'll probably have to call them and apologize."

Another player's review reads: "The only issue is that players sometimes spawn just ten meters away from me."

Article continues below
You may like
  • Arc Raiders trailer screenshot of a man's face in red lighting Arc Raiders players have found a real-life Stella Montis in Italy, and they're leaving hilarious reviews
  • Arc Raiders player sits in launch tube with a helmet Arc Raiders patch fixes notorious Stella Montis Seed Vault extract, and removes Buried City guitar puzzle entirely
  • Arc Raiders armor set with antlers and beaded veil Arc Raiders boss says "that's not the vision" when asked about Fortnite-style skins, prefers when it all "fits" the lore

One raider, who is clearly in very different lobbies to mine, wrote: "The people there are very nice, nobody shoots, and occasionally someone even comes by with a flute."

Söderlund said we can thank CCO Stefan Strandberg for much of Arc Raiders' love of Italy. "We also felt like Italy is a good place for a lot of this to happen for multiple reasons," Söderlund explained.

The Stella Montis hotel overlap is a happy accident here, and the review bomb – which has actually been positive, from what I've seen, with joke reviews mostly being four and five-stars – is just another alley in Arc Raiders' social sandbox.

"I will find out because now I'm intrigued - and I probably will call up that hotel and apologize for what we've caused them," Söderlund added. "That wasn't intended, but I'll promise to get back to you with a reply on that!"

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Arc Raiders boss says "that's not the vision for our game" when asked about Fortnite-style skins, prefers the Battlefield 6 route where "everything fits the fiction."

CATEGORIES
PS5 Xbox Series X PC Gaming Platforms PlayStation Xbox
Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Social Links Navigation
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
Arc Raiders trailer screenshot of a man's face in red lighting
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders players have found a real-life Stella Montis in Italy, and they're leaving hilarious reviews
 
 
Arc Raiders player sits in launch tube with a helmet
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders patch fixes notorious Stella Montis Seed Vault extract, and removes Buried City guitar puzzle entirely
 
 
Arc Raiders armor set with antlers and beaded veil
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders boss says "that's not the vision" when asked about Fortnite-style skins, prefers when it all "fits" the lore
 
 
Arc Raiders character in witch huntress skin holding a shotgun in the dark
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders Steam reviews wobble as it's called "very frustrating" and labelled "stale"
 
 
A player in the hub of Arc Raiders
Third Person Shooters "I think Speranza is heavily underutilized": Arc Raiders boss wants to see more social elements, eyes the main city
 
 
Arc Raiders characters with shotgun and revolver
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders devs love the self-described sheriffs of PvP: "Those are some of the better moments"
 
 
Latest in Third Person Shooters
Arc Raiders characters drinking at a bar
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders players hate the new Expedition system, which requires you to play on 5 specific days
 
 
Arc Raiders Bastion chasing a player
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders makes huge Expedition changes, bonus skill points now free but earned by dealing damage
 
 
Third Person Shooters The Division was originally "an MMO with World of Warcraft-style gameplay," devs reveal
 
 
Arc Raiders screenshot of player running from a Leaper robot
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders' killer robots aren't learning in real time, but Embark will sneak in AI upgrades
 
 
Arc Raiders player holding a gun in red light
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders studio contacted by crime scientist "intrigued by how players are interacting"
 
 
Black Cat in Marvel Rivals.
Third Person Shooters Black Cat joins Marvel Rivals, says "good boy" in her reveal trailer, and it's all been downhill from there, folks
 
 
Latest in News
Lando helmet replica from Star Wars, beside a Stormtrooper suit
Toys & Collectibles I went hands-on with the worst disguise in all of Star Wars
 
 
A central shot of the Meta Quest 3S on a white surface
VR The cost of the Meta Quest 3 and 3S is rising, and that plays right into Valve's hands
 
 
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag artwork showing Kenway with a group of pirates
Assassin's Creed Ubisoft confirms Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced reveal showcase
 
 
Starfield Shattered Space trailer screenshot showing an alien planet with deep red skies and blue crystal-like rocky formations surrounding a glowing man
RPGs Starfield "was the best-selling video game of the week" in US for first time in nearly 3 years, reports analyst
 
 
Hades 2
Roguelike Games They weren't "distributed on Steam," but Hades 2 lead who oversaw that true ending change says myths are also "told and retold" by design
 
 
Slay the Spire 2 classes
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 won't get an endless mode, but creator says "maybe a modder" can "make it work"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Yennefer of Vengerberg in the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
    1
    10 Best Western RPGs to play in 2026
  2. 2
    Slay the Spire 2 won't get an endless mode like Balatro because it limits "infinite strategies," but creator says "maybe a modder will think of a way to make it work"
  3. 3
    After over 1,000 hours in Baldur's Gate 3, I'm scared to hear Larian say Divinity might be an even bigger RPG: "There is no limitation anymore on how big an act can be"
  4. 4
    Commodore is now blocking custom C64 Ultimate firmware, but it's exploring ways to balance "user freedom with user protection"
  5. 5
    Hideo Kojima flexes on NASA, shows Death Stranding 2 players traveled further than the Artemis 2 mission in the same time span

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...