Embark Studios has announced a limited-time PvE matchmaking test for Arc Raiders running from 13 to 20 October, allowing players to opt into a violence-free version of the game. The move marks the developer’s direct response to a growing segment of its community that appears far more interested in cooperation than the title’s signature player-versus-player combat. In a blog post on the official Arc Raiders website, executive producer Aleksander Grøndal confirmed the test would let participants freely choose between the friendlier PvE build and the regular, more ruthless version of the game.
Grøndal used the opportunity to recap Arc Raiders’ origins as a raid-based co-op PvE shooter built around looting mechanics, before the studio pivoted toward the extraction shooter format the game is known for today. Yet, in what he describes as an interesting twist of fate, a substantial portion of the playerbase has adopted a collaborative mindset despite the incentives to eliminate fellow raiders. This has, in Grøndal’s words, effectively transformed the title into the “Extraction (Don’t) Shooter.”
A Community That Plays to Cooperate
To back up the anecdotal observation, Grøndal broke down the phenomenon with hard statistics. He highlighted that around 37 percent of raiders are friendly co-op players, a figure that has actually grown since launch. By contrast, roughly 34 percent are PvP-focused, a proportion that has remained consistent since the game’s release, with the remaining 27 percent or so split between the two styles. Taken together, the data points to genuine demand for a more formalised PvE experience.
The new test will support solo, duos, and trios queueing into the PvE matchmaking. Certain map conditions, such as night raids and hidden bunkers, will be absent, as those features were designed with PvP in mind. Loot value within PvE matchmaking will also be reduced to reflect the diminished danger players face when playing without the threat of being killed.
The test does not mean a permanent PvE mode will be added in the future. Instead, it is an indication that we are seriously considering it.
Aleksander Grøndal, Executive Producer at Embark Studios
On the practical side, Grøndal acknowledged the risks inherent in running a risk-free loot environment. Given the amount of relatively safe rewards players can potentially extract, the studio will be keeping a close eye on the wider player economy throughout the test. Matchmaking times will also be monitored to ensure the experiment does not destabilise the live game’s queue health.
A Reactive Move, Not a Desperate One
The decision comes at a notable moment for the title. Arc Raiders was extremely popular at launch and continued to retain a strong playerbase in the months that followed. Almost immediately, the game gained notoriety due to its strangely friendly community, a distinct departure from the norm for the extraction shooter genre.
Some observers may read this shift, which coincides with Marathon’s recent announcement of its own PvE mode, as a signal of wider trends away from the hardcore PvP extraction genre. However, the distinction here is important. While Arc Raiders is certainly not as popular as it once was, this reads more like a reactive accommodation to the game’s existing community than a necessary push to win back lost players.
Should Embark ultimately decide to embrace PvE as a permanent mode, questions remain about how it would shape future updates and how the studio might design content for both PvP and PvE players simultaneously. Would matchmaking become more competitive as a result? It is an interesting question for the future.
Looking Ahead
The October test window offers players a chance to experience the gentler side of Arc Raiders without committing to a permanent change, while giving Embark valuable data on economy stability, queue behaviour, and overall demand. Grøndal’s framing of the trial as a serious signal rather than a one-off experiment suggests the studio is genuinely weighing the long-term implications of a PvE offering.
For now, the ball is in the community’s court. Players who have grown fond of the game’s cooperative spirit may well see this test as validation of a direction the title could take, while those who prefer the brutal PvP grind can simply stick with the standard matchmaking. Either way, Arc Raiders has taken a bold, community-first step that could reshape how the game evolves in the months ahead.
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