The PvE toggle is gone, but the debate around it is far from over.
ARC Raiders ran a limited PvE matchmaking test from October 13 to October 20, giving players a chance to fight ARC machines without having to worry about other Raiders attacking them. The experiment attracted more than 30 million PvE rounds, according to Embark Studios. That is a substantial amount of activity, but it does not automatically mean a permanent PvE mode is on the way.
Embark has since confirmed that it is reviewing the results and player feedback. In a recent interview, executive producer Aleksander Grøndal outlined three possible directions: a relaxed side mode, a more demanding PvE challenge, or a full PvE experience.
Those options sound quite different from one another. More importantly, each would change how the studio develops and supports the game. The question is no longer simply whether players want PvE. Embark needs to work out what kind of PvE belongs in ARC Raiders without taking away what makes its existing PvPvE raids worth playing.
More Than 30 Million PvE Rounds, but What Did the Test Actually Prove?
The October test gave Embark a much larger pool of gameplay data than a simple community poll could provide. Players could choose between the familiar PvPvE experience and a separate PvE matchmaking option, then return to standard raids whenever they wanted.
By the time the test ended on October 20, players had completed more than 30 million PvE rounds. Embark described the response as polarizing, however, and said it needed time to study both the numbers and the feedback before deciding what to do next. The studio also planned to send a survey to a representative sample of players beginning October 22.
There is an important distinction here: 30 million rounds does not mean 30 million individual players. It shows how frequently the mode was played, not how many unique people tried it or how many want it to become permanent.
That difference matters because participation alone cannot explain why people chose PvE. Some Raiders may have used it to complete quests, explore maps, collect resources or play with friends without the threat of hostile players. Others may have tried it out of curiosity before returning to PvPvE.
Embark needs to understand those different motivations. A mode that players enjoy occasionally between tense raids may need a very different design from one that a large group expects to play as their main experience.
Why Is Embark Considering a Permanent PvE Mode?
The interest in PvE did not appear out of nowhere. In its September announcement, Embark shared data showing that the ARC Raiders community includes several distinct playstyles.
| Player preference | Share of the surveyed population |
|---|---|
| Friendly co-op players | 37% |
| Mixed players | 27% |
| Pure PvP players | 34% |
Embark also reported that more than 70% of friendly players and 40% of PvP players wanted fewer hostile encounters. In the same announcement, 51% of the surveyed playerbase expressed interest in a dedicated PvE option.
These figures help explain why the studio decided to test a separate matchmaking option. Not everyone enters the Rust Belt for the same reason. Some players enjoy the uncertainty of meeting another Raider and deciding whether to cooperate or fight. Others would rather focus on ARC threats, scavenging and playing alongside friends.
That diversity is particularly interesting given the game's development history. Embark originally envisioned ARC Raiders as a cooperative PvE looter with raid-based gameplay. The studio eventually changed direction and rebuilt the concept around the high-tension PvPvE extraction experience that players know today.
The recent test does not mean Embark is reversing that decision. It does show that the studio is willing to consider whether the game can support more than one way to play.
What Changed During the October PvE Test?
For players who missed the event, the PvE toggle was more than a setting that simply made other Raiders friendly. Embark adjusted several parts of matchmaking and gameplay to make the separate experience work.
Here are the main changes:
| Test feature | How it worked |
|---|---|
| Player damage | Raiders could not damage one another |
| Throwable items | Stun and fire throwables did not affect other players |
| Squad matchmaking | Solo, Duo and Trio groups could appear in the same sessions |
| PvPvE rating | PvE sessions did not affect PvPvE matchmaking rating |
| Loot value | Overall loot value was reduced in PvE sessions |
| Map conditions | Night Raid, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate, Frigate and Redirection were excluded |
| ARC behavior | Downed players had an eight-second grace period before ARC enemies could reacquire them based on movement |
The last point is worth highlighting. PvE did not mean that Raiders could ignore the machines around them. After being downed, players received an eight-second grace period. Once that period ended, moving could cause ARC enemies to reacquire them as targets. Staying still was the safer option under the test rules.
Embark also made clear that the experiment was not designed to introduce a harder PvE progression system or test a completely new approach to quests. It was primarily an alternative to hostile encounters, allowing players to scavenge, explore and complete quests with less risk from other Raiders.
That distinction is important when considering what a permanent version might look like. The October setup was a limited experiment, not necessarily a preview of the final mode.
The Three PvE Directions Embark Is Considering
In an interview with MP1st, executive producer Aleksander Grøndal described three possibilities the studio is discussing. He did not announce a final plan or confirm that any of these options will be added. Instead, they represent different ways Embark could respond to what it learned from the test.
1. A Relaxed Side Mode Between PvPvE Raids
The first possibility is a more casual PvE option that players can enter between intense PvPvE sessions.
This would be the closest continuation of the October test. Raiders could spend time exploring, collecting materials, working through quests or playing with friends without having to anticipate attacks from other players.
Its appeal is easy to understand. Extraction shooters can be demanding, particularly when a player has valuable equipment or resources to lose. A less hostile alternative could give players more control over how much pressure they want in a particular session.
The challenge would be making sure this option complements the main game rather than becoming the obvious choice for every activity that involves collecting valuable resources.
2. A PvE Challenge Mode Focused on ARC Enemies
The second direction is almost the opposite. Rather than making PvE a more relaxed experience, Embark could create a mode where players test their skills against AI opponents.
This would give the ARC threat a more central role. Instead of treating machines primarily as environmental dangers during a raid, the mode could put more emphasis on surviving and overcoming them.
However, this would require more than simply disabling player damage. Enemy difficulty, encounter design and the rewards for completing challenges would all need careful consideration.
Embark has not confirmed new bosses, special missions or additional progression systems for such a mode. Those are possible design questions, not announced features.
3. A Full PvE-Only Experience
The third option is the biggest change: a dedicated PvE experience rather than a secondary mode alongside the existing extraction gameplay.
This could appeal to players who enjoy the world, equipment, quests and cooperative combat but have little interest in fighting other Raiders. It would also give Embark more room to shape the experience around PvE from the beginning.
But a full PvE experience would raise the largest development questions. It would need a clear identity of its own, and the studio would have to decide how its content, rewards and progression relate to the existing PvPvE game.
Grøndal specifically noted that all three possibilities would have different implications for how future game updates are built. That makes this more than a matchmaking decision.
Why Can't Embark Just Make PvE Permanent?
The October test showed that a separate PvE queue can attract substantial activity. It did not answer every question needed to support that option over the long term.
Three issues stand out.
Matchmaking and queue times
Splitting players between PvE and PvPvE can affect how quickly each mode fills a lobby. This may be less noticeable in busy regions and peak hours, but low-population regions and quieter periods could be more vulnerable.
Embark already identified matchmaking times and the quality of PvPvE sessions as things it would monitor during the test. If a permanent mode reduces the number of available players in standard raids, the studio will need to decide how to prevent that from damaging the existing experience.
The balance between risk and rewards
PvPvE is built around uncertainty. Another Raider can become a threat, an unexpected encounter can change a raid, and extracting with valuable equipment is part of the appeal.
A PvE mode removes one major source of danger, but that also changes how much risk players face when collecting loot. If both modes offered identical rewards, players might have little reason to accept the additional danger of PvPvE. If PvE rewards were reduced too heavily, however, players who prefer cooperative gameplay could feel that their time was worth less.
Embark already addressed this during the test by lowering overall loot value in PvE sessions and giving PvPvE sessions slightly higher baseline loot values. The studio also explained that friendly players and PvE sessions had higher extraction rates and more value earned.
The future content pipeline
This may be the most complicated issue of all.
A relaxed side mode could potentially share much of the existing game's content. A dedicated challenge mode might require more attention to enemy encounters and difficulty. A full PvE experience could demand a much broader approach to missions, progression and updates.
The more distinct the two experiences become, the harder it may be to maintain both without stretching development resources. Grøndal's comments make clear that Embark wants to understand what players actually need before committing to a particular direction.
Could Permanent PvE Change ARC Raiders Items and Loot?
For players interested in collecting equipment, completing quests and improving their loadouts, the loot question is just as important as the matchmaking decision.
During the October test, Embark reduced overall loot value in PvE sessions to account for the relative safety of playing without hostile Raiders. PvPvE sessions received slightly higher baseline loot values to reflect the different extraction rates and value earned across the two experiences.
That approach makes sense as a starting point. If players can gather resources without worrying about other Raiders, the rewards may need to reflect the lower level of risk.
But a permanent mode could require a more detailed system. Embark would need to consider whether the same loot tables should apply to both modes, whether certain activities should offer different rewards, and how players move between PvE and PvPvE without creating an imbalance.
This matters for the long-term value of ARC Raiders Items and the overall progression economy. Players who prefer PvE should still have meaningful reasons to explore and collect equipment, while PvPvE players should not feel that the risk of hostile encounters is being rewarded less generously.
For now, there is no confirmed announcement of permanent loot changes, separate item pools or a new progression system. The October test's reward adjustments should not be treated as proof of what a future version will use.
When Will ARC Raiders PvE Return?
There is currently no confirmed date for the return of the PvE toggle, and Embark has not announced that a permanent PvE mode is coming.
The studio said on October 20 that it needed time to review the test data and player feedback. It also confirmed that the response had been polarizing and that its decision would prioritize the overall health and enjoyability of the game. Embark expected to provide further information in November 2026.
That November update should be understood as an expected follow-up, not a confirmed release window. Even if Embark decides to bring PvE back, the final version could look very different from the October experiment.
For now, Raiders should not assume that the old toggle will simply return with the same rules and rewards.
ARC Raiders PvE Mode: Frequently Asked Questions
Does ARC Raiders have a permanent PvE mode?
No. The limited PvE matchmaking test ran from October 13 to October 20, 2026, and the toggle was removed when the test ended. Embark has not confirmed a permanent PvE mode.
How many rounds were played during the ARC Raiders PvE test?
Embark reported that players completed more than 30 million PvE rounds during the test. This figure refers to rounds played, not 30 million unique players.
Is ARC Raiders getting a permanent PvE mode?
It is being considered, but no final decision has been announced. Embark is reviewing player feedback and gameplay data before deciding what comes next.
What are the three PvE modes Embark is considering?
Executive producer Aleksander Grøndal discussed three possible directions: a relaxed side mode between PvPvE raids, a challenge mode focused on fighting AI enemies, and a full PvE-only experience. These are options under consideration, not confirmed features.
Did the PvE test affect PvPvE matchmaking rating?
No. Embark stated that playing PvE sessions would not affect a player's PvPvE matchmaking rating during the test.
Was loot reduced in ARC Raiders PvE?
Yes. Embark lowered overall loot value in PvE sessions to account for the relative safety of the mode. PvPvE sessions received slightly higher baseline loot values during the test.
When will Embark announce its PvE decision?
Embark said it expected to share further information in November 2026. It has not confirmed an exact announcement date or a date for the return of PvE.
The Next Decision Could Shape ARC Raiders' Future
The October experiment gave Embark something it could not get from player discussions alone: a large amount of real gameplay data from a separate PvE matchmaking option. More than 30 million rounds show that players were willing to spend time in the mode, but the studio still has to understand what they wanted from it and how it affected the rest of the game.
A relaxed side mode, an AI-focused challenge and a full PvE experience would each serve a different audience. Choosing between them is not simply a matter of adding another toggle. It means deciding how much space PvE should occupy in a game whose identity was built around the tension between Raiders and the ARC threat.
For now, the PvE toggle remains unavailable. The next meaningful update will be what Embark says after reviewing the results, and whether it can find a way to support different playstyles without weakening the experience that brought Raiders to the Rust Belt in the first place.
