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Standard ARC Raiders matchmaking can make peaceful encounters more likely, but it cannot promise a safe lobby—and Embark’s published explanation does not identify a specific reward for declining to start fights. The studio’s scheduled PvE toggle test, set for October 13–20, 2026, offers a clearer alternative: no Raider-to-Raider damage in exchange for lower total loot value and access to a limited set of conditions. As of October 7, 2026, that test had not begun, so its results are not yet known.
Why avoiding PvP can feel like a one-sided choice
In ordinary PvPvE, players can choose not to initiate fights, but another Raider may still attack. Embark describes its matchmaking as a way to influence which playstyles meet, not a promise that friendly players will be left alone. Its published explanation does not name a specific positive reward for non-aggression in standard matches. That makes the title’s argument a fair design question, not proof that no such mechanic exists anywhere in the game.
The studio’s stated intent is more nuanced than “players should shoot each other.” In January 2026, Embark CEO Patrick Söderlund told GameSpot: “The game isn’t about shooting other players. You can do that if you want to, but the ethos of the game has never been to go in and shoot players. It’s a part that we use to craft tension.” He also said the team was not planning PvP leaderboards because it did not want to encourage that style of play. These comments explain the intended role of PvP; they do not establish how the incentives of any particular match feel to players. GameSpot’s report covers the remarks.
What matchmaking can—and cannot—do for peaceful players
Embark says its system weighs multiple factors and gives strong weight to behavior across previous rounds, especially how a player engages with other Raiders. It describes playstyle as a continuum rather than a simple friendly/aggressive switch: similar behavior can make similar players more likely to meet, but the result is gradual and uncertain. In the system described in the studio’s May 20, 2026 explanation, there are no PvE-only lobbies. Embark’s matchmaking notes explain the approach.
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That distinction matters for players asking how to avoid PvP: choosing not to initiate may affect the likelihood of the opponents they meet over time, but it is not a safety setting. Embark also says defending yourself is not treated as equivalent to starting a fight, and that low-activity rounds weigh less in its playstyle estimate. The developer said those matchmaking changes were live when it published the explanation. A later PC Gamer report on update 1.39.0 describes the subsequent treatment of defensive PvP and squad encounters; those implementation details are secondary reporting.
What the October PvE toggle test is supposed to change
Embark announced a limited PvE matchmaking toggle test for October 13–20, 2026. At the October 7, 2026 reporting date, the scheduled test was still in the future, so the mechanics below are announced terms—not results or proof of a permanent mode. The studio says the option will let players choose between classic PvPvE and a co-op-focused experience against ARC threats. Embark’s announcement gives the planned rules.
| Question | Ordinary PvPvE matchmaking | Announced PvE test |
|---|---|---|
| Can another Raider attack? | Yes. Playstyle matching may shift who players encounter, but does not guarantee a peaceful or PvE-only lobby, according to Embark’s matchmaking notes. | No Raider-to-Raider damage, according to Embark’s test announcement. |
| How certain is the experience? | Matching is probabilistic and based in part on behavior across previous rounds. | Players can select the PvE option during the announced test period. |
| What happens to loot? | Not stated as a comparative value in the cited matchmaking explanation. | Embark says total loot value will be lowered to account for the relative safety; the resulting balance is not yet known. |
| Which conditions are available? | The test announcement does not redefine ordinary PvPvE availability. | Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate, and Frigate are excluded, according to Embark. |
| Who shares a session? | Not stated in the cited matchmaking explanation. | Solo, duo, and trio Raiders share PvE sessions, according to Embark. |
| Does it affect PvPvE matchmaking rating? | Not stated in the test announcement. | Embark says PvE sessions will not affect PvPvE matchmaking rating. |
Embark said it would remove the toggle at the test’s end while it reviewed feedback and data. The studio also planned to monitor player economy, queue times, and the quality of PvPvE sessions. It noted that friendly players—and, by extension, PvE sessions—had higher extraction rates and earned more value. That is the stated rationale for lowering total loot value in the safer mode; the actual economic and queue effects remained unknown before the test.
What the announced player figures do—and do not—show
In its September 24, 2026 announcement, Embark reported that 37% of players were “Friendly co-op,” 27% “Mixed,” and 34% “Pure PvP.” The listed shares add to 98%; the announcement passage does not explain the remainder. Embark also reported that over 70% of Friendly players and 40% of PvP players wanted fewer hostile encounters, and that 51% of surveyed players were interested in a dedicated PvE option.
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These are figures reported by Embark in 2026, not evidence that every player shares the same preference. The cited passage provides no survey sample size or methodology, so the numbers should not be treated as a representative estimate of the entire player base. They do establish that Embark cited meaningful interest in fewer hostile encounters as context for testing a separate PvE choice.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Embark could make avoiding PvP feel worthwhile
The announced toggle is the studio’s clearest concrete answer: give players who want co-op a mode in which Raider damage is disabled, then adjust loot to account for the reduction in risk. It also acknowledges that not every activity belongs in that mode; Embark says the excluded conditions rely on heightened tension and uncertainty about meeting different players.
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For standard PvPvE, the design question remains whether players who do not initiate fights receive a clear, positive reason to keep doing so. One possible approach would be an explicit non-aggression incentive, carefully designed so players cannot exploit it by feigning friendliness before attacking. Another would be clearer communication about how defensive actions affect playstyle matching. These are proposals, not features Embark has announced in the cited material.
The trade-off is central. Embark says unpredictable encounters with other players create tension, choices, and emergent stories; removing that uncertainty changes the experience rather than simply making the same mode safer. At the same time, probabilistic matching should not be mistaken for protection. The scheduled PvE test separates those goals more directly, while its reduced loot and limited conditions preserve meaningful differences between the two experiences.
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