Embark Studios announced on its official website on September 24 that it will conduct a beta test for a PvE matchmaking toggle feature in 'ARC Raiders' from October 13 to October 20. During the test period, players can choose their preferred play environment between the classic PvPvE mode and the PvE mode.
According to the announcement, player-to-player damage will be completely disabled in the temporary PvE matches. Instead of fighting other Raiders, the focus will be on cooperative gameplay where players face the ARC threat together, with Solos, Duos, and Trios meeting in the same session. Players will also be able to freely switch back to classic PvPvE matches after playing PvE.
However, not all content will be offered in PvE. Major conditions and content designed around high tension and encountering other players—such as 'Night Raids,' 'Hidden Bunker,' and 'Locked Gate'—will be excluded from this test. Results from playing in PvE sessions will not affect players' existing PvPvE matchmaking ratings.
In PvE, while players can engage in farming, quests, and exploration without worrying about attacks from other players, the overall value of acquirable loot will be reduced. This measure accounts for the likely increase in extraction success rates and gathered resources in a relatively safer environment. Conversely, during the test period, baseline loot values in classic PvPvE sessions will be slightly increased.
ARC behavior will also see changes. In PvE matches, ARC enemies can re-detect downed players as targets if they move while downed. The developers explained in the post that this is "to explore ways to maintain tension even in the absence of PvP".
Meanwhile, changes in player playstyles also contributed to the decision to run this test. According to data released by Embark, 37% of players preferred friendly cooperative play, a demographic that has steadily grown since launch. Furthermore, 51% of surveyed players indicated interest in a separate PvE option. The development team explained that players who enjoy co-op and battling ARC rather than fighting other Raiders have established themselves as a core pillar of the community.
Interestingly, early in its development, 'ARC Raiders' was originally planned as a different kind of PvE game. Around seven years ago, at the start of the project, it was developed with the goal of being a raid-based PvE co-op game with looting elements, before shifting direction to become the high-tension PvPvE extraction shooter it is today.
However, this test does not guarantee the official introduction of a permanent PvE mode. Once the test ends, the PvE toggle feature will be removed, and matchmaking will return to normal. Embark plans to review the play data and player feedback gathered during the test before deciding on future implementation and format.
