ARC Raiders PvE: What the 2026 Matchmaking Test Changes

ARC Raiders PvE is not something you can queue for right now. Embark's PvE matchmaking toggle ran from October 13 at 11:00 CEST to October 20 at 11:00 CEST and let you pick between the usual PvPvE extraction loop and PvE servers with no player-to-player damage. The toggle is gone, players logged more than 30 million PvE rounds, and Embark now says the test was polarizing and that it expects to follow up in November.

Updated 2026-10-21: the test is over. Embark's October 20 post says more than 30 million PvE rounds were played, calls the result polarizing, opens a Discord feedback channel, sends a survey to a representative sample of players from October 22, and expects to follow up in November. Earlier updates added the October 12 rules (a fifth excluded condition, the eight-second grace period, throwables, mixed squad sizes) and moved the China Rebellion summary to dlcompare.

Screenshot: ARC Raiders Steam store page

Is there an ARC Raiders PvE mode? (quick answer)

Not right now. The test ran from October 13 through 20, 2026. During it, a toggle switched you between PvPvE and PvE servers, and PvE had "zero player-to-player damage". The toggle has been removed, PvPvE is the only way to play, and Embark says the data and survey answers will guide what comes next.

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Key Takeaways

• The test ran October 13 (11:00 CEST) to October 20 (11:00 CEST), 2026, and players logged more than 30 million PvE rounds.
• What's next: a survey to a representative sample of players from October 22 and an Embark follow-up expected in November.
• PvE servers have zero player-to-player damage. Stun and fire throwables don't affect other players; barricades and ziplines still work.
• Five conditions are excluded: Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection.
• PvE loot value is lower. PvPvE sessions get slightly higher baseline loot during the test.
• Your PvPvE matchmaking rating isn't affected, and there's no promise of a permanent mode.

What Embark announced

Embark announced the test on September 24. The studio says players will choose between the classic PvPvE experience and a PvE experience focused on co-op against the ARC threat, and that switching between them should be seamless. Solos, Duos and Trios share PvE sessions.

Embark also shared the player data behind the decision. It splits the player base into 37% Friendly co-op players, 27% Mixed players and 34% Pure PvP players. The Friendly group has grown consistently since launch, while the Pure PvP group has stayed stable. Over 70% of Friendly players and 40% of PvP players said they wanted fewer hostile encounters, and 51% of surveyed players expressed interest in a dedicated PvE option.

What changes on PvE servers

The October 12 post spells out the rules. Players can't damage each other, and throwable items including stun and fire items won't work on other players. Physical items like barricades and ziplines are unaffected. Squad separation isn't prioritized, so groups of different sizes meet more often than in PvPvE.

ARC machines still matter. After you're downed there's an eight-second grace period in which ARC won't acquire you, but they may attack if they catch you moving after that. Embark's September post put it more simply: crawling can get you re-acquired, and staying still makes them ignore you. PvE removes the other Raiders, not the danger.

Screenshot: ARC Raiders Steam store page

Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection don't offer PvE at all. The September post explains why: those conditions are designed around higher tension and the uncertainty of meeting other players. Our ARC Raiders enemy types guide and squad loadouts guide still apply on PvE servers.

Loot, progression and rating

PvE loot value is lowered to compensate for how safe it is. Embark says Friendly players already extract more often and earn more value, so during the test PvPvE sessions get slightly higher baseline loot.

There's no new progression. Embark says the intent isn't to make PvE more challenging or to try new PvE progression; it's to give players an alternative to PvP encounters. Playing PvE doesn't touch your PvPvE matchmaking rating, and standard matchmaking keeps applying in PvPvE sessions. Embark also warns that queue times may suffer in low-population regions and quiet hours.

For the normal loop, our ARC Raiders beginner guide and maps guide cover the routes and extraction basics the PvE servers still use, alongside the ARC Raiders extraction guide.

What happened after the test

Embark closed the test on October 20 with a thank-you post. "More than 30 million rounds of PvE were played over the testing period," it says, and the studio needs "a short period of time to dive into the numbers." It is honest about the mood: "On a surface reading, we know that the test has been polarizing."

Two channels are open for opinions. Players can post in the PvE-test-feedback channel on Embark's Discord, and Embark is sending a survey to a representative sample of ARC Raiders players from October 22, so not everyone will get one. The studio says its decision "will prioritize the overall health and enjoyability of the game" and that it expects "to be able to follow up with further information in November." The Store Update 2.2.0 notes, posted the same day, repeat the survey date and ask PvPvE players how their lobbies changed during the test too.

The China Rebellion test was something else

This article first covered the Rebellion Incident map condition seen in the Chinese version's beta in June 2026. As dlcompare summarized the reports on June 2, raiders there start out unable to freely kill each other, and anyone who wants to attack other players has to "rebel", which makes them hostile and marked for the rest of the lobby. That's a map condition with an opt-in betrayal, not a PvE queue. The October toggle is different: on PvE servers, player damage is simply off.

Our take

The toggle was worth the week, whichever side you're on, and the next step is out of players' hands. Embark has been unusually open that this is a risk: the game started life as a raid-based PvE co-op concept before the team reset it, and the studio says a PvE option could take away the tension that makes ARC Raiders work. The data it published shows why it's testing anyway. Embark called this "not a promise" of a PvE mode but said it is "seriously considering it". Now it calls the result polarizing. If the survey reaches you, answer it whichever way you lean; if it doesn't, the Discord channel is the other way in. Expect the real answer in November.

Frozen Trail launched on October 8, five days before the test. Our Frozen Trail expansion preview covers the update, and the ARC Raiders anti-cheat update is a separate fair-play story.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a PvE mode in ARC Raiders?

Not right now. A PvE matchmaking toggle was tested from October 13 to 20, 2026, and has been removed. Embark expects to share more in November.

When did the ARC Raiders PvE test end?

October 20, 2026 at 11:00 CEST. The toggle is gone and matchmaking is back to normal; Embark says more than 30 million PvE rounds were played.

How does PvE matchmaking work?

You toggle between PvPvE and PvE. PvE servers have zero player-to-player damage, and Solos, Duos and Trios share sessions.

What is excluded from the PvE test?

Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection.

Will PvE change ARC Raiders rewards or rating?

PvE loot value is lower, PvPvE gets slightly higher baseline loot during the test, and PvE play doesn't affect your PvPvE matchmaking rating.

Will ARC Raiders get a permanent PvE mode?

There's no guarantee. Embark calls the test polarizing, is surveying a representative sample of players from October 22, and expects to follow up in November.

Related Reading

• ARC Raiders beginner guide: the standard extraction, crafting, and progression loop.
• ARC Raiders Endgame Guide: What to Do After Frozen Trail: Trials, Expeditions, and late-game planning for the current season.
• ARC Raiders Best Solo Loadouts: Weapons, Gear and Tips: solo gear and weapon choices for safer runs.
• ARC Raiders Loot Guide: What to Keep, Sell, or Scrap: which materials to keep, sell, or scrap between runs.
• ARC Raiders Skill Tree Tier List: Best Upgrades Ranked: how to prioritize the three skill branches.
• ARC Raiders Crafting Guide: Workbenches, Recipes, Materials: workbench recipes and material priorities.

References

• Embark's official PvE toggle beta test announcement
• PvE Toggle Beta Test: what to know, Embark Studios
• PvE Matchmaking Toggle Test: Thanks for taking part!, Embark Studios
• Store Update 2.2.0, Embark Studios
• Frozen Trail is live!, Embark Studios
• ARC Raiders might finally give PvE players the mode they want, dlcompare
• ARC Raiders on Steam