Arc Raiders announces a new PvE “test” to accommodate its surprisingly friendly players
Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios is introducing a player-versus-environment (PvE) mode test to accommodate a growing segment of its playerbase that prefers cooperative gameplay without player-versus-player (PvP) combat.
Running from October 13-20, the matchmaking test will allow players to toggle between Arc Raiders’ original extraction shooter experience—where human players compete against each other and AI-controlled robots for valuable loot in a ruined world—and a new PvE-exclusive version where only the robots pose a threat.
According to executive producer Aleksander Grøndal’s announcement, “a large and growing group” of raiders have expressed a preference for the game’s cooperative elements and narrative content without engaging in player combat. This community segment prompted Embark Studios to test a dedicated mode to serve their interests.
Arc Raiders originally launched as a raid-based cooperative extraction shooter with looting mechanics. The introduction of a PvE test mode reflects the live-service game’s ongoing evolution and responsiveness to player preferences. Despite the extraction shooter genre’s traditionally competitive nature, a substantial portion of Arc Raiders’ players are more interested in collaborative PvE experiences than the conventional hunt-or-be-hunted gameplay loop.