- Embark Studios will test a new one-week PvE matchmaking toggle for ARC Raiders from October 13, 2026, to October 20.
- During this period, players can switch from the classic PvPvE ARC Raiders experience to a laid-back PvE extraction mode.
- The new PvE experience will offer co-op gameplay with no player-to-player damage, focusing solely on taking down ARCs and extracting.
Embark Studios isn’t holding back on the new updates to ARC Raiders. After unveiling the ARC Raiders Frozen Trails update, the studio announced it will test a PvE-only matchmaking toggle from October 13, 2026, to October 20. This means players can choose between the classic PvPvE experience and a PvE-only mode.
According to Embark’s latest blog, the ARC Raiders PvE toggle beta test will let you jump into a co-op mode with no player-to-player damage, leaving the ARCs as the only threat. PvE sessions will support Solo, Duo, and Trios in the same session, letting you encounter players in different squad sizes.
However, Embark will exclude specific ARC Raiders map conditions such as Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate, and Frigate, as they suit the intense, classic PvPvE experience. This will be more laid-back and will not affect your PvPvE matchmaking rating. The only thing you’ll need to worry about is the ARC enemies in this mode.
The PvE mode will offer lower overall loot value in ARC Raiders weapons and gadgets, but ARC enemies can still damage you while you crawl after getting knocked down. Meanwhile, Embark Studios notes that once the test is over, they will remove the PvE toggle mode from ARC Raiders, and matchmaking will return to normal PvPvE.
The studio has also warned that this PvE toggle test does not guarantee a permanent PvE mode in ARC Raiders. However, if it’s successful, Embark might consider adding one. When you look at the overall player split in ARC Raiders, you get why Embark is conducting such a test:
“Over 70% of Friendly players and even 40% of PvP players express a desire for fewer hostile encounters, and 51% of the surveyed player base has expressed an interest in a dedicated PvE option,” wrote Embark in their blog.
The studio is currently focusing on the Frozen Trails update, which arrives on October 8, 2026, roughly a week before ARC Raiders’ PvE toggle beta test. So, are you looking forward to a PvE-only mode? Tell us in the comments section below.
