Arc Raiders to test PvE mode from October 13–20
GG Brief Editorial Desk · AI-assisted, source attributed
Embark Studios will run a PvE test for Arc Raiders from October 13 to October 20 that adds a PvE toggle allowing players to switch into lobbies where other players cannot damage them. PvE sessions will award lower-valued loot because the developer says the mode carries lower stakes, and AI ARCs will target downed players but will ignore players who remain still. Embark Studios said it will monitor the player economy and matchmaking times during the trial and warned "it's possible that this will not work," noting the experiment "is not a risk-free test."
- What happened: Embark Studios announced a PvE toggle test in Arc Raiders running October 13–20, letting players move between PvP lobbies and lobbies where other players can't harm them.
- Why it matters: The developer will monitor the player economy and matchmaking times while the trial is active, indicating developers will assess technical and economy impacts during the test.
- Context: According to IGN, PvE will reduce loot value because of lower stakes, and ARCs will target downed players yet ignore players who stay still; the stated aim is to let players completely disengage from PvP gameplay.
- What next: Embark warned the test may not succeed—"it's possible that this will not work"—and described the trial as not risk-free; whether PvE is retained after the trial is unconfirmed.
What changed
Embark Studios will enable a temporary PvE mode in Arc Raiders via a toggle that separates lobbies into PvP and PvE experiences. The change is framed as a test to give players more choice and to assess how fully disengaging from PvP could function.
Availability
The PvE toggle test is scheduled to run from October 13 to October 20, during which players can switch between PvP and PvE lobbies where other players cannot damage them.
Limits
IGN reports that loot in PvE will be lower-valued because of the mode's reduced stakes. AI ARCs will still target downed players to introduce tension but will ignore players who remain still. Embark said it will monitor the player economy and matchmaking times during the trial and cautioned "it's possible that this will not work" and that the trial "is not a risk-free test." Whether the mode becomes permanent was not confirmed.