Hero image: ARC Raiders PvE toggle test. Image: Embark Studios, via arcraiders.com
Embark is testing a PvE matchmaking toggle from 13 to 20 October. Flip it on and nobody in your session can hurt you, but the loot is worth less.
ARC Raiders is getting a PvE option, for one week at least. Embark Studios announced the test on 24 September, and it runs from 13 to 20 October 2026. During that week you can toggle between the classic PvPvE mode and a PvE mode with zero player-to-player damage.
The reason is in the numbers. Embark splits its population into 37% friendly co-op players, 27% mixed and 34% pure PvP. The friendly group “has grown consistently since launch”, and 51% of the surveyed playerbase has asked for a dedicated PvE option. In the words of the post, “we can’t ignore what the data is telling us.”
This is how the test works. PvE sessions mix Solos, Duos and Trios in the same session, and you can switch back to PvPvE whenever you want a high-tension match. Your PvPvE matchmaking rating is not affected by anything you do in PvE.
Not everything comes across. Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate and Frigate are excluded from PvE matchmaking, because Embark says those conditions rely on the uncertainty of meeting other players.
There is a trade-off in the loot, too. Overall loot value is lowered in PvE to compensate for the safety. PvPvE sessions get slightly higher baseline loot values for the week, since friendly sessions see higher extraction rates. If ARC down you in PvE, stay still. The post warns they “might re-acquire you as a target” while you crawl, and will ignore you if you do not move.
Embark is clear this is a test, not a promise. When it ends, the toggle is removed and matchmaking goes back to normal. The post says “It’s possible that this will not work”, and any future version “could look very different” from the beta. It will also watch queue times, which could rise a little in low-population regions or during off hours. The start time in Australia has not been given yet.
If you want the background, Embark points to The Evolution of ARC Raiders EP1 on the game’s YouTube channel. The game started life as a PvE co-op concept before it was reset into an extraction shooter. For what is landing before the test, see our Frozen Trail coverage.
Not in yet? ARC Raiders is A$57.99 on Steam. Try the toggle between 13 and 20 October, then tell Embark what you thought.
Source: Embark Studios – We’re testing a PvE Toggle, ARC Raiders on YouTube – The Evolution of ARC Raiders EP1, Steam – ARC Raiders