ARC Raiders PvE Mode: Embark Considers Three Options for a Permanent Return

ARC Raiders could be heading toward a permanent PvE mode after its limited-time matchmaking experiment attracted significant player participation. Embark Studios confirmed that players completed more than 30 million PvE rounds during the October 13–20, 2026, test, giving the development team a substantial amount of gameplay data to examine.

Although the experiment divided opinions among players, its scale has made one thing difficult to ignore: there is considerable interest in experiencing ARC Raiders without the constant threat of hostile human players.

However, Embark Studios has not confirmed that a permanent PvE mode is coming. Executive producer Aleksander Grøndal has instead outlined three possible directions for the game's future: a relaxed PvE experience between regular raids, a more challenging mode centered on fighting ARC enemies, or a completely separate PvE-only experience.

Each option would offer a different interpretation of what ARC Raiders could become. More importantly, the studio must determine how to expand the game's audience without weakening the PvPvE extraction experience that originally defined it.

The October PvE experiment was more than a simple matchmaking adjustment. It was an opportunity for Embark Studios to discover whether ARC Raiders could support players who enjoy its world, exploration, cooperative combat, and looting systems but do not necessarily want to fight other Raiders.

The test ran from October 13 through October 20, 2026. During that period, players could switch between the traditional PvPvE experience and a separate PvE matchmaking option.

The results were substantial. According to Embark's October 20 announcement, more than 30 million PvE rounds were played. However, the studio also acknowledged that the experiment had been polarizing and that it needed additional time to evaluate both gameplay statistics and player feedback.

There is another important detail behind the experiment: ARC Raiders has attracted a broader audience than traditional extraction-shooter players.

In its September 24 announcement, Embark revealed its internal breakdown of player preferences:

These figures come from Embark's own published analysis, rather than an independent community poll. The player-group percentages are also rounded, so they should not be treated as an exact 100% distribution.

This information helps explain why the PvE discussion has become so important. The demand is not necessarily coming exclusively from players who dislike PvP. Some players simply want the freedom to choose between intense extraction encounters and cooperative sessions depending on their available time and preferred playstyle. That distinction could determine the future direction of ARC Raiders.

What Happened During the ARC Raiders PvE Matchmaking Test?

Before examining the three possible permanent modes, it is worth understanding what players actually experienced during the October experiment.

Embark introduced a matchmaking toggle rather than creating an entirely separate game mode with its own progression system.

Players could choose between the normal PvPvE experience and a cooperative PvE matchmaking option. In PvE sessions, Raiders could not damage one another, allowing squads and solo players to concentrate on fighting ARC machines and exploring the Rust Belt.

The experiment also included several restrictions designed to protect the game's overall balance.

These rules were established in Embark's official test announcement. One particularly interesting decision was the reduction in overall loot value.

This suggests that Embark recognized a fundamental problem with introducing a safer PvE environment into an extraction game. If players can collect valuable ARC Raiders items, complete objectives, and extract without facing the possibility of hostile human encounters, the relative value of PvPvE raids could decrease.

The difference matters because extraction shooters depend heavily on risk and reward.

In the traditional experience, players must consider whether valuable equipment, crafting materials, and other loot are worth risking during an extraction attempt. Removing hostile players changes that calculation, even if ARC enemies remain dangerous.

Embark also monitored matchmaking quality and queue times, particularly in regions with smaller player populations. A large number of players moving into PvE matchmaking could potentially leave traditional PvPvE lobbies with fewer participants.

The October test therefore provided information about much more than whether players enjoyed shooting ARC enemies without PvP interference.

It also gave Embark an opportunity to examine how different matchmaking environments could influence the game's economy, player distribution, and overall experience.

Embark Is Considering Three Different Permanent ARC Raiders PvE Modes

The most important development is not simply that Embark might bring the PvE toggle back.

In a follow-up interview with MP1st, executive producer Aleksander Grøndal explained that the studio first needs to understand what players actually want from a permanent PvE experience.

He outlined three possibilities: a relaxed side activity between regular PvPvE raids, a challenging mode focused on testing players against AI enemies, or a complete PvE-only experience.

Grøndal also emphasized that each direction would have different implications for future game updates and development priorities.

Here is what each possibility could mean for ARC Raiders.

1. A Relaxed PvE Mode Between Regular Raids

The first option is a more relaxed PvE environment that players can enter between traditional extraction raids.

This approach would be relatively close to the October experiment. Rather than completely redesigning ARC Raiders, Embark could preserve the existing gameplay structure while giving players an alternative matchmaking option.

Imagine a player who has just completed several difficult PvPvE raids. Instead of immediately entering another session where other Raiders could potentially interrupt an extraction, they could switch to PvE and spend some time exploring the Rust Belt.

This could be particularly useful for players who want to:

• Complete quests without worrying about hostile Raiders.
• Collect crafting materials and other useful items.
• Practice fighting ARC enemies.
• Explore maps and learn locations.
• Play shorter sessions without constantly dealing with PvP encounters.
• Enjoy cooperative gameplay with friends.

The biggest advantage is accessibility. A relaxed PvE mode could make ARC Raiders more welcoming to casual players, returning players, and those who enjoy extraction mechanics but find repeated PvP encounters exhausting.

It would also give players greater control over how they spend their time. Someone interested in collecting ARC Raiders items or progressing through available objectives could choose a lower-pressure environment when they do not want another high-stakes raid.

However, this option would still require careful economic balancing. If PvE provides too much loot or makes progression significantly easier, players could eventually treat it as the default way to prepare for competitive raids. That would undermine the risk-reward structure that makes PvPvE encounters meaningful.

2. A Challenging PvE Mode Focused on Fighting ARC Enemies

The second possibility is arguably the most interesting from a gameplay perspective.

Instead of making PvE a safer alternative to regular raids, Embark could develop a dedicated challenge mode centered on combat against increasingly dangerous ARC enemies.

This would create a different reason to play PvE. Rather than entering a session primarily to gather resources or complete routine objectives, players would have a clear combat-focused goal. The experience could emphasize enemy encounters, squad coordination, equipment preparation, and mastery of ARC combat mechanics.

For example, a future challenge-focused PvE experience could potentially feature:

• More demanding ARC encounters.
• Combat-oriented objectives.
• Greater emphasis on squad coordination.
• Carefully balanced equipment requirements.
• Increased difficulty for experienced Raiders.

These are possible design directions, not confirmed features announced by Embark. The main attraction would be the opportunity to make PvE challenging without relying on hostile human players.

That distinction is important because ARC Raiders already has an enemy ecosystem that can create pressure during exploration and extraction. A more specialized PvE format could build on that foundation instead of simply removing PvP from existing matchmaking.

It could also provide a meaningful reason for experienced players to continue developing their combat skills and optimizing their equipment.

For players interested in ARC Raiders items, such a mode could create additional reasons to understand weapon effectiveness, consumables, equipment choices, and resource preparation. However, Embark has not confirmed any separate rewards or exclusive item acquisition systems for this potential mode.

The challenge for the developers would be ensuring that the mode offers enough depth to remain interesting over time. Simply increasing enemy health or damage would not necessarily create a satisfying long-term experience. Players would need meaningful objectives and encounters that reward different approaches to combat.

3. A Full PvE-Only ARC Raiders Experience

The third possibility is the most ambitious: a complete PvE-only experience.

This would represent a much larger change than the matchmaking toggle tested in October. Instead of treating PvE as an alternative way to enter existing raids, Embark could potentially build a dedicated experience around cooperative exploration, ARC combat, looting, and progression.

Such an approach could appeal to players who enjoy the atmosphere and world of ARC Raiders but have little interest in traditional extraction PvP. It would also give the studio more freedom to develop gameplay systems specifically for cooperative PvE.

For instance, a dedicated experience could eventually support more specialized missions, longer-term cooperative objectives, or progression designed around defeating increasingly difficult ARC threats.

Again, these are possibilities rather than confirmed development plans.

The biggest challenge would be maintaining two distinct experiences within one live-service game.

Embark would need to consider how much content each mode receives, whether updates can serve both audiences, and how different progression systems interact with the shared game economy.

This is particularly important because the studio has already acknowledged that it does not necessarily want to create a game that effectively contains two separate games.

A complete PvE experience could attract an entirely different audience, but it would also require a substantial ongoing development commitment.

Which ARC Raiders PvE Mode Is Most Likely to Return?

Although Embark has not selected a direction, the three proposals offer some clues about what the studio is trying to achieve.

The relaxed side mode would require the least fundamental change to the existing experience. The challenge-focused alternative could provide additional gameplay depth, while a full PvE experience would represent the biggest expansion of the game's identity.

Here is how the three possibilities compare:

Development scope and gameplay implications are my assessments, not official Embark commitments.

My assessment is that a relaxed PvE side mode is the most practical starting point, potentially followed by more specialized PvE content if player demand remains strong.

There are several reasons for this.

First, the October experiment has already provided Embark with a working example of how PvE matchmaking can operate. The studio does not necessarily need to rebuild the entire game to offer players a similar experience again.

Second, a relaxed alternative would allow Embark to accommodate different playstyles without immediately committing to maintaining two completely separate gameplay experiences.

Finally, the studio could use additional player feedback to determine whether there is sufficient demand for more challenging PvE content.

However, this is an my prediction rather than an indication that Embark has already chosen the first option.

Why Is Embark Hesitant About Making PvE Permanent?

Interestingly, the game did not originally begin as the PvPvE extraction adventure players know today.

According to Embark's September announcement, ARC Raiders was initially conceived as a cooperative PvE game featuring raid-based gameplay and looting mechanics. The studio eventually changed direction after encountering significant development challenges with that original concept.

The result was the high-tension PvPvE extraction experience that became the foundation of the released game.

This history helps explain why the developers are approaching permanent PvE carefully. ARC Raiders is built around uncertainty. Players never know exactly how another Raider will behave when they encounter someone in the Rust Belt.

Some encounters result in cooperation, while others become fights over valuable loot or extraction opportunities. Removing that uncertainty changes the emotional experience of every raid.

For PvP-focused players, this uncertainty is part of the attraction. The possibility of encountering another squad creates tension that cannot always be replicated by AI enemies.

For cooperative players, however, the same uncertainty can become frustrating, particularly when a hostile encounter interrupts a quest or causes them to lose valuable equipment.

Grøndal previously discussed this conflict with Dot Esports, explaining that some players want to spend time fighting ARC enemies without worrying about occasional PvP encounters ruining their sessions. He also identified two major risks: reducing the tension that makes ARC Raiders distinctive and creating economic problems through safer loot acquisition.

The challenge is therefore not simply deciding whether PvE is popular. Embark must determine whether introducing permanent PvE makes the overall game better for both existing and potential players.

How Could Permanent PvE Affect ARC Raiders Items and the In-Game Economy?

Another important question concerns the relationship between PvE matchmaking and the game's item economy.

ARC Raiders relies on scavenging, equipment preparation, crafting materials, and successful extractions. The possibility of losing valuable equipment during a raid is an important part of its risk-reward structure.

A permanent PvE mode could change how players approach these systems. For example, if a relaxed PvE environment offers easier access to crafting materials and valuable ARC Raiders items, players might increasingly use it to prepare for traditional PvPvE encounters.

That would not automatically be a bad outcome. It could make the game more accessible and reduce the frustration associated with losing progress.

However, the developers would need to ensure that safer gameplay does not make traditional extraction raids feel unnecessarily unrewarding.

Embark already demonstrated awareness of this issue during the October test by reducing overall loot value in PvE sessions and maintaining higher baseline loot values in PvPvE sessions.

The studio also noted that friendly players generally had higher extraction rates and earned more value, making economic balancing an important part of the experiment.

For players, the implications could be significant.

These are potential considerations rather than confirmed changes to the existing economy. ARC Raiders items is particularly relevant here because players need to understand not only where they can collect resources, but also how the risks associated with different matchmaking options affect their overall progression.

If Embark eventually introduces a permanent PvE option, players should pay attention to whether item rewards, crafting opportunities, and extraction values remain identical across both experiences.

A well-balanced system could provide more flexibility without making one mode an obvious replacement for the other.

Frequently Asked Questions About ARC Raiders PvE Mode

Is ARC Raiders getting a permanent PvE mode?

Possibly, but Embark Studios has not officially confirmed a permanent PvE mode. The developer is evaluating the results of its October 2026 experiment, which recorded more than 30 million PvE rounds.

What are the three possible ARC Raiders PvE modes?

Executive producer Aleksander Grøndal identified three potential directions:

1. A relaxed PvE side mode between regular PvPvE raids.
2. A challenging PvE mode focused on fighting ARC enemies.
3. A complete PvE-only experience.

Embark has not selected one of these options.

Will permanent PvE affect ARC Raiders items and progression?

Potentially. A permanent PvE mode could influence loot availability, crafting materials, extraction rewards, and progression balance. However, Embark has not announced any permanent changes to these systems.

Final Thoughts: ARC Raiders PvE Could Become More Than Just an Alternative Matchmaking Option

The October experiment has given Embark Studios an important opportunity to reconsider how players experience ARC Raiders.

More than 30 million PvE rounds demonstrate substantial participation, while the developer's own player-preference data suggests that cooperative players represent an important part of the game's audience.

However, the long-term success of permanent PvE will depend on how Embark implements it.

A relaxed side mode could provide a convenient alternative to intense extraction raids. A dedicated ARC challenge mode could offer more meaningful combat progression. A complete PvE experience could potentially attract an entirely different audience.

Personally, I believe the most interesting direction would be to introduce a relaxed PvE mode first, then gradually expand it with more challenging ARC encounters if player feedback supports that approach.

That would allow Embark to preserve the original PvPvE experience while giving cooperative players more reasons to remain in the Rust Belt.