Until now, you had to worry about other players in this PvPvE shooter, but Embark apparently has new plans for the future.
After rumors had already circulated—following a leak—that a PvE mode was coming to Arc Raiders, developer studio Embark recently announced a test phase. From October 13 to 18, 2026, you’ll be able to choose between PvPvE and PvE modes in the shooter.
You Are the Reason
In a blog post on the official Arc Raiders website, the developers explain how they arrived at this decision. Since the launch of Arc Raiders, they have been closely monitoring the community and collecting data and player feedback.
The results showed that a large portion of the player base is looking for fewer hostile encounters with other players. 51 percent of the players surveyed expressed a preference for a PvE option—that is, a mode in which Raiders cannot fight or loot each other. Embark now intends to fulfill this request.
Additional survey results
- 37 percent of respondents are friendly co-op players (this player group has grown steadily since launch).
- 27 percent are mixed players.
- 34 percent are pure PvP players (this player group has remained stable since launch).
- Over 70 percent of friendly players and even 40 percent of PvP players express a desire for fewer hostile encounters, and 51 percent of the surveyed player base has expressed interest in a dedicated PvE option.
- There are clear points of friction: Friendly players often try to avoid PvP entirely, and we hear frustration from certain player groups regarding ratting and camping
Here’s What Happens During the PvE Test
From October 13–18, you can choose to play either the usual PvPvE mode or the new PvE mode:
- Players cannot deal damage to other players; instead, they must work together to fight the Arc.
- You can choose from Solo, Duo, and Trio options for matches.
- Some features and events from the PvPvE mode are excluded from the PvE mode, including Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate, and Frigate.
- The value of the loot you find is lower than in PvPvE
- Arcs can also target you if you’re already downed and moving.
Your MMR in standard mode is not affected by the new mode. The developers also note that the test is not a promise that a PvE mode will be permanently added to the game in the future. That decision will depend on the results of the test phase.
“Suddenly, I Feel Like Playing Again”
The community is actively discussing the upcoming update. It looks like many who had turned their backs on Arc Raiders now want to return. In a unKappa in the top comment with 1,200 upvotes: “And suddenly, I feel like playing again.”
Below that, quite a few agree with him or her. The frustration is too great when other players turn out to be hostile or when valuable loot goes down the drain after an hour of work. For many, that would be enough, simply taking down giant robots in co-op mode. Furthermore, in a pure co-op mode, the Deal with cheaters yourself.
Also in Steam forum for Arc Raiders, there are several threads on the topic. However, it also becomes clear here just how how varied the opinions are. For example, one user announced that they would buy Arc Raiders if PvE remains permanent. Another user is certain that PvE players won’t stick around for long anyway:
“It’s a good thing this mode is only available for a week; we probably won’t see it again for the next six months. There’s already a PvE mode that you can access just by not shooting [»Playstyle-based Matchmaking« —Ed.]—that delivers good loot—and people want to trade that in for a pure PvE trash mode with no loot? Absolute nonsense. Completely unrealistic.”
He or she is referring to the matchmaking system Ark Raiders has been using so far. This system matches players who exhibit similar playstyles. However, the lines are blurred here, and just because you never shoot at other Raiders doesn’t guarantee that you’ll end up in a match with only friendly Raiders.
