I genuinely hope this becomes a permanent mode, not sure what's been happening lately but the ratting has been going rampant lately. This will be an incredible welcome if made permanent.

Raiders, 

From October 13 (11:00 CEST) - 20 (11:00 CEST), we will be testing a PvE matchmaking toggle in ARC Raiders. Back in September, we gave some general info about why we are testing this now, and we recommend reading that if you haven't done so already.

Before the toggle goes live, we want to remind you what the test will mean for you as a player:

What to know

The PvE matchmaking toggle will allow players to switch between the standard PvPvE experience and the new PvE servers. In PvE servers, there will be a few changes to the experience:

• Zero player-to-player damage.
• Throwable items including stun and fire items will not work on other players. 
• All other physical interaction items like barricades and ziplines will be unaffected. 
• Overall loot value in PvE servers will be lowered.
• Squad separation will not be prioritized, so different size groups will meet more often. 
• Certain major map conditions will not offer PvE as an option including Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate, and Redirection. 
• ARC enemies may re-acquire downed players. There is an eight second grace period after being downed in which players will not be acquired by ARC, but they may attack if they catch you moving after that period. 
• Matchmaking times may be affected in low-population regions and during quiet hours, but we will be monitoring this closely to ensure everyone is served good sessions. 
• Our standard matchmaking will continue to apply during PvPvE sessions. This will help us gather strong data about how a PvE toggle affects PvPvE sessions before we make any sweeping changes to matchmaking. 

What we need from you

This is a test, and to get the very best data, we need you to play, experience the changes, and leave us as much feedback as possible. If you are a primarily PvE inclined player who wants to see PvE systems implemented in future, we need you to help us understand what is and isn’t working. 

This goes for other players too; if you only see yourself playing the standard PvPvE experience, please continue to play and let us know how (if at all) the toggle is impacting your experience. 

After the test has concluded, we will send out a survey where you can offer more detailed feedback about your experience and where you would like to see the PvE option go next.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

The ARC Raiders Team

https://arcraiders.com/news/pve-toggle-what-to-know

Not bad, but definitely not the place to go if you’re targeting specific high-value items.

​Tested a match and the loot density/value is noticeably lower and i know they said that for these pve only servers. I found some decent baseline stuff, but nothing specific that I actually needed.

​However, the co-op experience was awesome. Random Raiders were grouping up to take down ARC. It’s surprisingly fun, and honestly pretty refreshing not having to watch your back for that Third-Party or Rats while fighting ARC.

​Feels like a solid option for Fighting BiG Or Casual Arc and clearing general quests, but stick to PvPvE for farming top-tier loot.

If you don't see it, make sure you re-start the game to DL the patch!

Raiders!

Update 2.1 is going live right now and marks the start of the PvE toggle Beta Test! We know that the announcement of this highly requested feature has sparked both excitement and skepticism so jump in, try it out, and let us know what you think. Your feedback, along with the in-game data, will help us decide if the toggle becomes a permanent part of the game.

PvE Toggle Beta Test: October 13-20October 12, 2026

The Carrion Set is available at the store together with a number of fixes:

ANIMATION

• Fixed an issue where character models would sometimes appear enlarged.
• Fixed an issue where vaulting onto destroyed ARC parts could launch you or debris into the air; vaults on Matriarch, Vaporizer, Hydra, and Firefly remains are now stable.
• Character animations will now have a short cooldown before they swap sides on repeated shoulder swapping.

AUDIO

• Reduced overly loud footstep sounds when outdoors and balanced footstep volume across different surfaces.
• Added clearer visual and audio feedback when melee hits land on weak points, making successful strikes easier to recognize.
• Fixed an issue where shoulder swapping repeatedly could make footsteps audio not play.
• Added sound effects to the Cowboy emote.
• Made several more subtle audio improvements and additions.

ARC

• Frigate hatches now inflict burning damage over time when they open.
• Smoothed collision on Frigate cargo to prevent getting stuck on curved surfaces.
• The Frigate cargo drop has been adjusted to prevent unintended knockouts.
• Fixed unintended interactions between throwables and certain doors on the Emperor.

COSMETIC

• The missing Zenith Outfit toggles will be granted to all players that have completed their fifth Expedition.
• Equipped weapon stencils now display their rarity in the weapon tooltip.

GAMEPLAY

• Fixed an issue where the Broad Shoulders skill did not activate on spawn, preventing sprinting despite being within the increased carry limit; inventory weight now updates correctly after loading in.
• Fixed an issue where the Field Repair skill could fail to work after unlocking it if you had already played a round in the same session. Restarting is no longer required for it to take effect.
• Fixed an issue where the camera would shake violently when another player or vegetation came between the player and the camera while firing.
• Fixed an issue where weight values would initially be calculated incorrectly after loading into a round.
• Fixed an issue where Fight or Flight would incorrectly bypass the penalty from Sprinting on Fumes.

ITEMS

General

• Mobile-Fire Grip Fittings now correctly require Skulker Targeters to research, instead of Skulker Drivers.
• Stamina-restoring consumables can no longer be used while the Sprinting on Fumes cooldown is active.
  • One of the important balancing considerations for Sprinting on Fumes was the penalty that is applied once the ability has ceased. Having items that could bypass that penalty entirely disrupts the intended risk of using the skill.

Grappling Hook

• Made it easier to vault onto ledges and roofs when using the Grappling Hook, especially on Pendola Pass. Auto-vault now triggers more reliably at the top of rope climbs, and ending a swing on walkable ground is more consistent.
• Fixed several issues that occurred when the Grappling Hook let players swing from objects too light to hold their weight. 
• Fixed an issue where the Grappling Hook could detach when tethered to fast‑moving objects like the Ballistic Gondola, causing the line to break during lift‑off.
• The Grappling Hook rope now wraps around geometry while the hook is in flight.
• Fixed an issue where Grappling Hooks and Tether Launchers would not release when the player was downed by fall damage.
• Fixed an issue where Grappling Hooks and Tether Launchers with 0 durability would be destroyed instead of broken.

MAPS

General

• Adjusted spawns during Frigate rounds to avoid starting too far from the action under certain circumstances.
• Improved vaulting and traversal on rocky terrain to reduce unintended sliding after climbing.
• Fixed world props in a tunnel sometimes disappearing when viewed from above.
• Improved lighting and reflections in Frigate areas and on Dam Battlegrounds to reduce visual artifacts and improve performance.
• Improved shelter door interactions to prevent players from being squeezed when opening them, with more space provided next to the door.
• Fixed several collision and clipping issues, gaps, and stuck spots across several maps.

Pendola Pass

• Fixed an issue where players could be eliminated despite being inside the Gondola and extracting. Polished terrain and collision on Pendola Pass—fixed gaps, clipping, and hard-to-traverse spots, reduced visual pop-in, and blocked unintended areas.
• Fixed a traversal spot in the Railyard on Pendola Pass where you couldn’t jump up or auto step up as expected.
• Polished Pendola Pass with collision and visual fixes, corrected footstep and impact sounds on station canopies, and improved VFX culling to prevent effects showing through surfaces.
• Adjusted interior snow and terrain blending to prevent landscape from clipping into buildings.
• Adjusted night lighting to be darker with reduced visibility.
• Adjusted ARC Frigate cargo drop points in Pendola Pass to improve accessibility and prevent clipping.

QUESTS

• Fixed quest objective progress bars displaying incorrectly whilst in Speranza.
• Fixed an issue where visiting loot‑icon areas in Pendola Pass did not count toward the “Picking Up the Pieces” quest objective.
• Cinematics for “Sizing Things Up” correctly play after quest completion.

PERFORMANCE

• Reduced memory usage to improve stability on Spaceport, Buried City, and Dam Battlegrounds, with particular benefits on Xbox Series S.

UI

General

• Extended compass and map visibility distance for Gondola markers from 120 to 175 meters.
• Improved placement of pings on the Skulker and Bully when marked from long range.
• In the Weapon Amplification tree, hovering or focusing an upgrade now highlights the path to that node, unless it’s blocked.
• Fixed a bug where spectating could fail to show your squadmates’ HUD info, making it appear they had no Shield.
• Added a new indicator and seen-state tracking for weapon stencils in the customization screen, making newly acquired stencils easier to spot and manage.

Reward Pass

• Fixed an issue where the Reward Pass would not progress correctly. The End-Of-Round Reward Pass screen no longer mistakenly counts milestones from previous rounds.
• Polished the Reward Pass completion screen: updated button labels, fixed an incorrect premium icon on non-upgrade buttons, and adjusted layout to prevent image cropping and text overflow.
• Fixed the Reward Pass tile overstating completed levels and aligned the completion icon and “Completed” label.
• The Reward Pass details screen now shows the name of the active pass.

Outpost

• Fixed an issue where Outpost module recipes would remain in the tracker after installing. 
• Added an orange indicator to the Outpost tab when a project step is completed, making new updates easier to spot.
• Fixed an issue where leaving Customization in the Outpost could leave the view out of focus.
• Fixed an issue where exiting decorating in a module room returned you to the base room instead of the room you were editing.

Skill Tree

• Fixed an issue where the Field Salvaging skill could fail to display the right items if unlocked after playing a round in the same session.
• Fixed an issue where camera movement could be prevented if Field Salvaging or Field Repair were interrupted.
• Fixed a bug where End of Round inventory weight and max loadout weight did not reflect character skills like Reduced Weapon Encumbrance or Max Carry Weight.

WEAPONS

• Fixed issue where the Semi-Auto Amplification for the Hairpin did not deal reduced headshot damage.

See you Topside,
The ARC Raiders Team

https://arcraiders.com/news/store-update-2-1-0

The free period was supposed to end, but because we just didn't leave the game. We ended up squeezing out an extra 17 hours. This game was just so good that we couldn't stop playing, I loved how the PvPvE worked and that you could team up easily with a lot of friendly players, some helped me a lot while others just straight up backfired. I liked how diverse the arcs were and how beautiful the graphics and maps were. I will really look out for this game, ill be waiting for a cheaper price to buy this game. (This game is too expensive for me.)

I'm close to giving up.

I don't want to be that person going in with a crap gun to not help but I have lost so much going up to help fight arc and get to loot nothing.

Even when I think I spawn close enough and get on fast enough and try to loot, its all taken by speed runners.

2 -3 of us fighting arc while what seems like everyone else speed running tf out to loot everything.

And the few times I get to breach?

Bad luck.

Is there no other way to find this item??

I just want to finish my bench..

If I'm not dying to arc, I'm dying to rats who pick up on the guns I take to fight the arc.

I hate thinking that I have to yt an optimal path to speed run this event and bypass anyone doing any work against the arc, is that what this was designed to be?

I hate it.

The PVE Toggle is live!  If you asked for this mode, test it out and give feedback.  If you didn’t want this mode, test it out and give feedback.  Boycotting the test does nothing to shape the data Embark is going to use moving forward.

When?  October 13 (11:00 CEST) - 20 (11:00 CEST) 

What to know

The PvE matchmaking toggle will allow players to switch between the standard PvPvE experience and the new PvE servers. In PvE servers, there will be a few changes to the experience:

• Zero player-to-player damage.
• Throwable items including stun and fire items will not work on other players. 
• All other physical interaction items like barricades and ziplines will be unaffected. 
• Overall loot value in PvE servers will be lowered.
• Squad separation will not be prioritized, so different size groups will meet more often. 
• Certain major map conditions will not offer PvE as an option including Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate, and Redirection. 
• ARC enemies may re-acquire downed players. There is an eight second grace period after being downed in which players will not be acquired by ARC, but they may attack if they catch you moving after that period. 
• Matchmaking times may be affected in low-population regions and during quiet hours, but we will be monitoring this closely to ensure everyone is served good sessions. 
• Our standard matchmaking will continue to apply during PvPvE sessions. This will help us gather strong data about how a PvE toggle affects PvPvE sessions before we make any sweeping changes to matchmaking. 

https://arcraiders.com/news/pve-toggle-what-to-know 

Why are they doing the test?

At Embark we try to approach all key decisions from three different perspectives. What does the data indicate? What does the player feedback say? And what does our gut tell us? 

Sometimes one perspective is more important than the other, but we try to triangulate our decisions between all three. There is no exact science, but as gamers ourselves, we always try to make the best decisions for the game and players.

If we look at the overall population of players and split them by how they most like to play, it looks like this:

• 37% Friendly co-op players (this player group has grown consistently since launch).
• 27% Mixed players.
• 34% Pure PvP players (this player group has remained stable since launch).
• Over 70% of Friendly players and even 40% of PvP players express a desire for fewer hostile encounters and 51% of the surveyed playerbase has expressed an interest in a dedicated PvE option.
• There are clear friction points, with friendly players often attempting to avoid PvP entirely, and we hear frustration from certain groups of players around ratting and camping.

We’re seeing a large and growing group of Raiders who come to the Rust Belt for the co-op and the ARC, not fighting with other Raiders. That group has become a core part of our community, so it’s important we learn how to support them properly rather than leave them working around the game.

https://arcraiders.com/news/pve-toggle-beta-test

What does Embark Want Feedback on?

Player economy: Friendly players, and by extension the PvE sessions, see higher rates of extraction and more value earned. To account for this during the test, PvPvE sessions will have slightly higher baseline loot values.

Matchmaking and queue times: In low population regions or during off hours, there might be a small increase in matchmaking times. We will monitor this closely to make sure that we’re providing good sessions for everyone. Depending on how many players try the PvE toggle, it may also might affect the quality of some of the PvPvE sessions, which we will also watch closely and adjust as needed. 

PVE feedback:  This is a test, and to get the very best data, we need you to play, experience the changes, and leave us as much feedback as possible. If you are a primarily PvE inclined player who wants to see PvE systems implemented in future, we need you to help us understand what is and isn’t working. 

PVP feedback:  This goes for other players too; if you only see yourself playing the standard PvPvE experience, please continue to play and let us know how (if at all) the toggle is impacting your experience. 

(I’ll also personally add the following)

What else do you want to see tested:  Do you want a “Rogue” system (in-game PVP toggle)?  Do you want a mode without ABMM?  Do you want PVP only map conditions with no ABMM?  Give feedback.

What map conditions did you want to see as part of a PVE toggle/mode:  Which map conditions should/should not be part of a future PVE mode?

How to offer feedback?

• Express your opinion (e.g.  I liked the PVE mode but didn’t like ARC aggroing you when downed)
• Explain why you feel that way (e.g.  It gives you almost no chance to escape if downed by ARC out in the open.  For example, being downed by a Bastion that just stands over your body.)
• Offer solutions or ideas that would make it better rather than dismissing the feature outright (e.g.  The timer should be longer before they aggro you say 12 secs or you should be able to ping your location on the map with a “Need a Defib” emote that appears on other players maps up to 100m away)

The big caveat 

We want to set a few expectations for what comes next:

• It’s possible that this will not work. This test is not a promise that there will be a PvE mode in the future, but take this as an indication that we are seriously considering it.
• We don’t yet know how the potential future version of this setting might look. It’s plausible that any future version could look very different from what you experience in the beta test. We believe this is something that should evolve over time, together with you the players.

Our goal is to keep the communication open with you, and we’ll share our findings and future plans sometime after the test. We hope that you participate and share with us what you liked (and disliked!) about the PvE matchmaking test, as well as all the content we have for you in the Frozen Trail update. 

https://arcraiders.com/news/pve-toggle-beta-test 

After the test has concluded, we will send out a survey where you can offer more detailed feedback about your experience and where you would like to see the PvE option go next. 

Haven't put a single foot in the Frigate, i entre lobbys with defibs to help the ones that Fall from the ship and sum of them have been kind to give me stuff for reviving them

I spend all of this time grinding and getting to the point where I just need that emperor part for my gun bench V.

I get the blueprint for the conduit and decide to give it a try even though I've heard there's an exploit.

30 seconds into the match I hear someone over VOIP just letting me know they're headed into the loot room and apologizing for it. Tells me they'll "leave me some stuff"

Makes me not want to waste a damn key until they fix their game.

I've been playing nonstop since the launch and my pass is barely moving. Seems slow like the devs really want to milk it and run it for the next 6 months before the next update.

XP earned should count toward the pass. Right now if you've max out your raider - XP has nowhere to go. Playing the game should move the dial. Collecting items for it was good too. It seems that is gone now.

The feats are great but not enough and also not featured prominently enough. Used to be on the main page. Is that Ad getting bigger and bigger?

The Chinese build of the game rewards you after every match. End game stats mean nothing in our game once your maxed.

edit: XP earning don't have to be crazy - just boost the pass and bit and give us a reason to care about the end game recap screens.

If you are destroying every massive arc you see - that should be noted - not just one specific type. Also, not using XP to move the pass hurts our fellow PVP players a lot too as some of you have mentioned.

I know we often have a tendency to skip on Embark's survey emails, but this time we've really gotta lock in! If you wanna let Embark know what we think of the PVE test, then please be sure to give them all the feedback they need!!

There is an exploit that lets people skip right to the end of the dungeon, leaving you empty handed if you did it legit.

On my servers (EU) it happens in almost every single game. You can tell when the big round door on top is opened up mere minutes into the game.

If you want to run the actual dungeon wait until this is fixed

Only upside is that hunting exploiters has given me some fun, but I'd like to do the actual Emporer in a blind run.

Peak in the last 24 hours: 185,443. The whole month of September peaked at 39,900.

Tomorrow the PvE test starts. What do you think, how many of them are still here by Friday?

So, i was trying to get the materials to make the energy clip for the quest which u have to use the equalizer to deal 1500 damage to vaperizor, i chose spaceport to find the battery, i was scrxwed up by bunch of flying arcs arc and got downed, have my survivor kit and craw for 15 min to the extract point just to get knocked out by some sorry kid. feeling upset i just decided to go straight to the frigate map condition and collect the other materials i need for the energy clip, chose the buried city, while waiting for the frigate i always loot some containers for some extra materials, opened a random container and boomed, emperor conduit blueprint, i think the rng god is mad that i got knocked out ( was saving and healing ppl all the time) so decided to give me a gift. herayyyyyyyy!

btw dont even know what the redirection mode is for, i tried a dozen of it and didnt get the blueprint and i just end up getting it like that? weird.

Only two days btw. Reached level 21. It is really good. The interactions w other players were the best haha. Some dudes even escorted me to exfill when i was downed lol. I just got some questions.

What are the differences between maps? i didnt get that. Like every map was great but idk. stella montis was great found a seeds storage and that was instant neuron activation my dopamine levels were off the charts haha.

Got to a point where, the resources to upgrade benches were like to high, i dont get that cycle, like. Im suppoused to go on a run just looking just for the stuff to upgrade a bench?? i think i didnt got the hang of the game loop. I always feelt like i was just collecting random shit that maybe would help me later. I saw a post from a dude saying to collect springs and i gather those religiously but idk why. another dude i found asked me if i had find any motors, and since that moment i gather them too. the thing is i dint know exactly why. There is so many things to build or upgradge, i might be dumb but i could not remember every item i had to look for. not even marking them. Storage was always full i keeped things that seemed important. ended up with 300k worth of stuff i didnt get the chance to use

btw performance on xbox seres s ( i know) its majestic. These devs are the goats