For one week from October 13, ARC Raiders will test matches where Raiders cannot hurt each other

ARC Raiders is getting a week where other players cannot shoot you. In a post on September 24, Embark Studios said it will test a PvE matchmaking toggle from October 13 to 20, 2026. During the test, players can choose between the classic PvPvE experience and a PvE one [1]. This article reflects the situation as of September 26, 2026.

For anyone who has not played it, ARC Raiders is a multiplayer extraction adventure set on a future Earth ravaged by machines called ARC [3]. Raiders head to the surface to scavenge, finish quests and get back out. Right now other players can get in the way as well as the ARC, and the test is an option that switches the human threat off.

How a PvE session differs

PvE sessions have zero player-to-player damage. Solos, duos and trios share the same session, and Embark says it is designing the system so players can move between PvE and PvPvE from one match to the next. Playing PvE does not affect your PvPvE matchmaking rating [1].

Four major conditions are excluded from the PvE test: Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate and Frigate. Embark says these were built for higher tension and depend on the uncertainty of meeting a variety of players [1].

Rewards change too. Overall loot value is lower in PvE to reflect the relative safety. If you are downed and crawl, the ARC may target you again, although they ignore you if you stay still. Embark describes this as a way to keep some tension without a PvP threat [1].

The numbers behind the decision

Embark split its player base by how people like to play. Friendly co-op players make up 37% and have grown steadily since launch, mixed players 27%, and pure PvP players 34%, a share that has held stable. More than 70% of friendly players and 40% of PvP players want fewer hostile encounters, and 51% of surveyed players are interested in a dedicated PvE option [1].

The studio also went back to where the game started. Seven years ago ARC Raiders was conceived as a raid-based PvE co-op game with looting. After running into significant challenges, Embark reset it and built the PvPvE extraction game players know now [1].

The post lists the risks as well. A PvE toggle could reduce the tension the game was built around, and queue times may rise a little in low-population regions or off hours. Because friendly players and PvE sessions see higher extraction rates and more value earned, PvPvE sessions will get slightly higher baseline loot values during the test [1].

The October 8 update comes first

Five days before the test, on October 8, the Frozen Trail update arrives. It adds a new map, Pendola Pass, three new enemies and a Raider Den extension called the Outpost. It is also when the Frigate first appears, the same condition the PvE test leaves out [2]. Embark pitches the Frigate as a substantial challenge for highly skilled Raiders, and for the length of the test it will only be reachable in matches where other Raiders can show up.

The game is available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with cross-platform play [4]. It costs $39.99 on the US Steam store. On Valve's most-played list, queried on September 25, 2026 (UTC), it ranked 64th, up from 71st the week before [3][5].

When the test ends, the toggle will be removed and matchmaking will return to normal. Embark stresses that the test is not a promise of a future PvE mode, only a sign that it is seriously considering one. The studio says it will share its findings and plans after the test, but the post gives no date for that update [1].

Sources

[1] Embark Studios. We're testing a PvE Toggle: here's what it means for you. ARC Raiders news, September 24, 2026.

[2] Embark Studios. Frozen Trail First Look: Content highlights from October 8. ARC Raiders news, September 23, 2026.

[3] Valve. ARC Raiders Steam store page (appid 1808500). US store, checked September 26, 2026.

[4] Embark Studios. ARC Raiders official site. Checked September 26, 2026.

[5] Valve. ISteamChartsService most-played games API. Queried September 25, 2026 (UTC).