Arc Raiders rats are cheating the matchmaking system by throwing themselves in front of friendly fire
Arc Raiders, the free-to-play third-person shooter from Embark Studios, has implemented an updated matchmaking system designed to create more balanced and fair lobbies. The new system, rolled out in recent updates, accounts for specific player behavior across different game modes (solo, duo, and trio lobbies) and includes enhanced self-defense mechanics to better evaluate legitimate defensive play versus team harm.
However, the system has been compromised by players who deliberately position themselves in front of friendly fire to artificially manipulate their matchmaking rankings and lobby placement. This exploit circumvents the developer’s intended behavior evaluation, allowing bad-faith players to game the system in ways Embark did not anticipate.
The situation highlights a fundamental challenge in online gaming: creating fair evaluation systems while accounting for intentional abuse. Despite Embark’s sophisticated algorithmic approach to account for legitimate gameplay scenarios, determined players have identified workarounds that undermine effectiveness. The developer now faces the difficult task of refining matchmaking logic to prevent such exploits while maintaining accuracy for honest players—a constant arms race between system designers and bad-faith actors seeking to circumvent protections.