ARC Raiders players who prefer cooperative gameplay are questioning whether the extraction shooter needs a permanent PvE mode, particularly as complaints about aggressive player behavior, extraction camping, cheating, and toxic encounters continue to circulate in the community. The debate has become more significant following Embark Studios' October 2026 PvE matchmaking experiment, which attracted more than 30 million PvE rounds before ending after one week.
For casual players, the issue goes beyond losing a firefight. It is about whether spending limited gaming time collecting materials, crafting weapons, and preparing for an extraction remains enjoyable when another player can eliminate them before they have a reasonable opportunity to respond.
The temporary PvE experiment demonstrated that ARC Raiders could support a different style of matchmaking. However, whether Embark will turn that experiment into a permanent feature remains an open question.
ARC Raiders Players Are Frustrated With More Than Losing PvP Fights
The discussion surrounding PvE is not simply about players wanting an easier game. It reflects a disagreement over what makes an extraction shooter enjoyable.
In discussions on the Reddit community, one player described spending several days preparing upgraded weapons for a Frigate encounter, only to be eliminated near the landing area by an opponent using a Bobcat IV and a Kinetic Converter.
The frustration was not necessarily about losing a competitive encounter. It was about investing considerable time into equipment and preparation, only to lose everything before getting a meaningful opportunity to participate in the encounter.
Another player described returning to ARC Raiders during the holidays after working abroad, hoping to enjoy cooperative sessions with friends. After the temporary PvE experience disappeared, the group returned to standard matchmaking but encountered extraction campers who allegedly directed racial slurs at them.
These accounts are individual player experiences, not evidence that every ARC Raiders lobby has the same problems. Nevertheless, they illustrate two distinct issues that deserve attention:
- Gameplay frustration: Players can lose valuable equipment and progression through encounters they consider unfair or excessively punishing.
- Community toxicity: Harassment and discriminatory language can make multiplayer sessions unpleasant regardless of the game's underlying combat mechanics.
The distinction matters because a PvE matchmaking option could directly address the first problem and reduce opportunities for the second. It would not, however, eliminate cheating, harassment in other communication channels, or problems with the cooperative experience itself.
Embark Studios Has Already Recognized the Demand for PvE
Interestingly, the demand for a less hostile experience is not something Embark Studios has overlooked.
In its September 24, 2026 announcement, the developer shared its own breakdown of ARC Raiders player behavior:
| Player category | Share of playerbase |
|---|---|
| Friendly co-op players | 37% |
| Mixed-playstyle players | 27% |
| Pure PvP players | 34% |
| Players surveyed who wanted a dedicated PvE option | 51% |
Embark also reported that more than 70% of friendly players and 40% of PvP-focused players expressed a desire for fewer hostile encounters.
These figures are particularly interesting because they challenge the assumption that everyone playing an extraction shooter necessarily wants constant PvP combat.
Embark explained that friendly players often try to avoid fights entirely, while some other players have expressed frustration with ratting and camping.
The developer's response was to test a dedicated PvE matchmaking toggle rather than fundamentally change the standard experience.
This was an important distinction: Embark was exploring whether different audiences could enjoy the same game through separate matchmaking options instead of forcing everyone into one style of play.
Why Did the ARC Raiders PvE Mode Disappear?
The temporary PvE matchmaking experiment ran from October 13 to October 20, 2026. It allowed players to choose between traditional PvPvE matchmaking and dedicated PvE sessions.
The test was not a permanent game mode, and Embark explicitly warned players beforehand that its conclusion would remove the toggle.
One important detail is that the PvE experiment was not designed to introduce an entirely new progression system or make ARC enemies significantly more challenging.
Instead, its primary purpose was to give players an alternative to hostile encounters with other Raiders.
The reduced loot value was particularly relevant. Embark recognized that players extracting more consistently in a relatively safe environment could accumulate resources more quickly than those playing standard PvPvE.
The studio therefore lowered overall loot value in PvE sessions and slightly increased baseline loot values in standard PvPvE sessions to account for the economic difference.
This suggests that Embark was already considering how a separate PvE experience could affect the game's economy, not simply whether players would enjoy having fewer firefights.
On October 20, Embark confirmed that the experiment had ended after more than 30 million PvE rounds had been played.
However, the developer described the initial response as polarizing and said it needed additional time to analyze gameplay data and community feedback. It expected to provide further information in November, without promising that the mode would return.
Would Permanent PvE Actually Improve the Player Experience?
A permanent PvE mode could solve several problems for players who enjoy ARC Raiders but dislike the unpredictable nature of its PvP encounters.
The most obvious benefit would be protecting players from losing carefully prepared equipment to other Raiders.
Weapons, ammunition, medical supplies, shields, and other resources represent time invested in scavenging, crafting, and completing objectives. Losing them is an intentional part of extraction gameplay, but repeated losses to encounters that players consider unfair can make progression feel increasingly frustrating.
For people balancing work, family responsibilities, and limited gaming hours, a dedicated cooperative option could make that investment feel more worthwhile.
There are three particularly meaningful advantages.
1. More predictable progression
Players could concentrate on collecting crafting materials, completing quests, improving equipment, and exploring the maps without constantly worrying about hostile Raiders.
2. Better cooperative experiences
Friends who primarily want to fight ARC machines together could enjoy coordinated encounters without having to negotiate every interaction with another squad.
3. Greater accessibility for casual players
A lower-pressure alternative could make the game more attractive to players who enjoy its setting, atmosphere, weapons, and extraction mechanics but do not want every session to involve competitive PvP.
However, permanent PvE would not automatically make the game better for everyone.
ARC Raiders' uncertainty is central to its identity. Other players can become unexpected allies, dangerous opponents, or unpredictable encounters that make each extraction memorable.
Removing that element entirely could reduce the tension that makes successful extractions rewarding.
This is also why a separate matchmaking option appears more practical than removing PvP from the core experience.
PvE Cannot Replace Better Anti-Cheat Measures
There is another important distinction in this debate: aggressive PvP behavior, extraction camping, and cheating are not the same problem.
Players who wait near extraction points or ambush other Raiders may be frustrating to encounter, but those tactics are not automatically cheating. They can be legitimate, if controversial, ways of playing an extraction shooter.
Cheating is different because it undermines the rules of competition.
Embark has already acknowledged this problem. In its September 30 anti-cheat update, executive producer Aleksander Grøndal outlined several measures, including Denuvo protection, Anybrain detection, internal machine-learning systems, permanent bans for accounts caught using known cheat programs, and hardware restrictions.
The studio also reported improvements against pre-arranged queue teaming. According to Embark, five days after it began separating known teaming groups in matchmaking, this behavior had fallen by 85%, while spoiled raids decreased from approximately one in 50 to one in 300.
These are developer-reported results rather than independently audited figures, but they demonstrate that Embark is addressing unfair play through systems beyond PvE matchmaking.
A PvE option could prevent hostile players from attacking participants inside those sessions. It cannot replace effective anti-cheat enforcement in competitive lobbies.
Embark Is Still Considering What PvE Should Become
Embark's October experiment was not necessarily the final version of PvE matchmaking.
In an October 27 interview with MP1st, executive producer Aleksander Grøndal explained that the studio was examining the results and discussing how the game should support different player preferences without undermining its original design.
He outlined several possible directions:
- A relaxed side mode for players who want a break from intense PvPvE matches.
- A more challenging PvE experience focused on fighting ARC enemies.
- A complete PvE-only experience with its own gameplay considerations.
The important point is that Embark has not committed to any of these possibilities.
Grøndal also highlighted the challenge of maintaining separate content pipelines for PvE and PvPvE. If both experiences become permanent, the studio must consider how future updates, encounters, and progression systems will support each audience.
This is a significant development because it suggests that the discussion is no longer limited to whether PvE matchmaking is technically possible. Embark is also considering what kind of experience would justify maintaining it long-term.
Will ARC Raiders PvE Return in November 2026?
As of November 6, 2026, Embark has not announced a permanent PvE mode, a confirmed return date, or a final decision to discontinue the feature.
The developer's October 20 statement promised further information in November, but that should not be interpreted as confirmation that the toggle will return this month.
Embark's official news page lists updates through November 5, including Hotfix 2.4.1, but does not yet provide a new PvE decision.
For players who enjoyed the experiment, the best approach is to follow the official ARC Raiders news page and provide feedback through the developer's designated community channels.
There is also little reason to assume that the eventual decision will simply restore the previous test unchanged.
If Embark decides to introduce permanent PvE matchmaking, it could adjust loot distribution, available map conditions, matchmaking populations, and progression to create a more sustainable experience.
For players managing their inventory and investing time in valuable ARC Raiders items, these decisions matter. A well-balanced PvE option could offer more predictable opportunities to collect materials, craft equipment, and complete objectives without making the standard extraction experience less rewarding.
A Separate PvE Option Could Be the Best Compromise
The debate surrounding ARC Raiders ultimately comes down to player choice.
Some Raiders enjoy the adrenaline of encountering hostile players, risking expensive equipment, and successfully extracting after intense firefights. Others prefer exploring the world, fighting mechanical enemies, collecting resources, and cooperating with friends.
Neither preference automatically makes someone a better or worse player.
A permanent PvE matchmaking option would allow Embark to support both audiences without fundamentally changing the identity of its original PvPvE experience.
However, the developer would still need to maintain a healthy in-game economy, provide meaningful PvE challenges, improve anti-cheat enforcement, and ensure that dividing matchmaking populations does not create excessive queue times.
The October test provided evidence that substantial interest in PvE exists. More than 30 million rounds were played, and Embark has publicly acknowledged that its community includes a large population of cooperative players.
Whether that interest translates into a permanent feature remains to be seen.
For casual players who simply want to spend an evening playing ARC Raiders with friends after a long day, however, the argument for keeping PvE available is straightforward: a game should offer room for different ways to enjoy its world, not just one preferred style of combat.
