ARC Raiders has started testing the feature that could change one of its biggest design decisions: a matchmaking toggle for players who want to face ARC machines without player-versus-player damage.
The PvE Toggle Beta Test runs from October 13 at 11:00 CEST through October 20 at 11:00 CEST. It sits beside the normal PvPvE experience rather than replacing it, and Embark is treating the week as a data-gathering test, not a permanent-mode announcement.
PvE removes Raider damage, not every consequence
In PvE matchmaking, players cannot damage one another. Stun and fire throwables also stop affecting other Raiders. Physical interaction tools such as barricades and ziplines continue to work.
The important tradeoff is loot. Embark says overall loot value is lower on PvE servers. That means the relaxed player-versus-player risk does not simply create an easier version of the same reward structure.
For someone deciding where to spend a session, the question becomes what kind of tension you want. PvE gives you space to focus on ARC enemies and cooperative encounters, but it changes the economic side of the raid at the same time.
Squads can meet groups of different sizes
Embark says squad separation will not be prioritized in PvE, so solos, duos, and trios can encounter one another more often. Because player damage is disabled, that mismatch is not the same competitive problem it would be in standard PvPvE matchmaking, but it still changes how crowded and social a session can feel.
ARC enemies also get a specific downed-player rule. There is an eight-second grace period after a Raider goes down before ARC can reacquire that player. Moving after that grace period can draw attacks again.
Several major map conditions are excluded
The PvE toggle is not available everywhere. Embark lists Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate, and Redirection among the major conditions excluded from the test.
That matters if your usual play session revolves around one of those conditions. Choosing PvE may mean choosing a different activity rather than simply flipping a switch on the exact session you planned to run.
Embark is also watching the PvPvE queue
The studio warns that matchmaking times may be affected in quieter regions and hours. Standard matchmaking remains active for PvPvE sessions while the test runs, specifically so Embark can see how the new option changes the existing population.
That is why the company is asking both PvE-focused players and standard PvPvE players for feedback. The experiment is not only measuring whether people enjoy fighting machines without hostile Raiders. It is also measuring what happens to the original mode when part of the audience is given another queue.
This is not a promise that PvE becomes permanent
Embark's September explanation said the studio wanted to learn whether a PvE option could fit ARC Raiders without losing the identity built around uncertainty and player encounters. The October test adds concrete rules, but it does not convert that exploration into a permanent roadmap commitment.
After the test ends, Embark plans to send a survey asking players where they would like the PvE option to go next. If this is the feature you have been waiting for, the most useful thing you can do is play the test under its actual rules and give specific feedback about what worked and what did not.
Sources checked October 14, 2026: Embark Studios' October 12 PvE test rules and September 24 explanation. Featured image is the official event banner served by ARC Raiders. Embark's press page provides a reporter contact and media kit for editorial coverage. This article describes a limited test, not a confirmed permanent mode.
