ARC Raiders PvE decision delayed to November after 30M-round test splits community
Embark Studios says it needs more time to analyse a 'polarizing' week-long PvE toggle test before deciding on a permanent mode.
What happened
Embark Studios has confirmed it won't make a call on a permanent PvE mode for ARC Raiders until November, after wrapping up a week-long public test of a PvE-only matchmaking toggle. The limited test has now ended, with more than 30 million PvE rounds played, and a permanent PvE mode remains unconfirmed, with further information expected in November. The toggle itself is gone for now — Embark Studios has officially removed all traces of PvE content from ARC Raiders, bringing to an end the monumental test that saw 30 million rounds of PvE played in a week.
The studio says it simply needs more time to crunch the numbers. Embark notes "we need a bit of time to understand what the data is telling us, and what our community is saying," before it can take the next steps with the mode, saying that "our decision on how to proceed will prioritize the overall health and enjoyability of the game." Executive producer Aleksander Grøndal has also revealed the test was partly inspired by so-called "dad gamers" — casual players who convinced the studio to try an option without PvP after Embark noticed friendly, low-PvP lobbies already forming organically.
What changed
For Brisbane-based raiders: the PvE toggle test ran until 7pm AEST Tue 20/10/2026 (8pm AEDT Sydney/Melbourne), after which matchmaking reverted to standard PvPvE. A representative player survey went out from 22/10, and Embark has committed to a further public update in November — not necessarily a final decision, just more information.
What players are saving
Reaction has split hard, and neither side has a clear majority. On the critical end, a Redditor wrote "I've been playing carebear games for weeks now and I thought PvE would be great," adding games feel like a shop simulator where "nobody talks, nobody interacts." Streamer Loochy voiced a similar flatness, saying PvE "got kind of boring after a few rounds" because of lowered tension, arguing Arc Raiders "doesn't have a strong enough endgame to support a meaningful PvE experience."
On the other side, plenty of Steam posters loved it, with one declaring PvE "a hell of allot more co-op... busy all the time so I think it's a winner." A widely-shared negative Steam review framed the stakes bluntly: "One of my favorite PvE games, hands down. One of the most toxic PvP experiences otherwise. Stay away until PvE mode is permanent."
Zooming out, the game's overall Steam standing is healthy — the game boasts an 81% positive rating from 258,131 Steam reviews — but the community signals tracked around this specific issue mostly lean negative, with complaints focusing on PvP rather than the core gameplay. Separately, the Frozen Trail update that ran alongside the test gave the game a real boost: concurrent player count jumped from 50,000 to 185,000 during the period.
What it means for you
If you're on OCE servers hoping to jump into a chill, no-PvP raid with mates, that option is off the table until at least November — and Embark has given no guarantee it's coming back permanently. Standard PvPvE matchmaking is all that's available right now, so plan Frozen Trail objectives and gear runs around that. Worth keeping an eye on the official Discord's PvE feedback channel if you want your vote counted before the studio's next post.
What to watch next: Embark's promised November follow-up post — watch for whether it includes an actual permanent-mode decision or just more analysis.
Sources
- Arc Raiders devs know PvE has been "polarizing," promise to prioritize the game's "overall health and enjoyability"
- Future of ARC Raiders PvE Will Be Revealed in November
- ARC Raiders Devs Say "Dad Gamers" Helped Inspire the PvE-Only Test
- ARC Raiders Update 2.2.0 (Oct 20): PvE Test Ends, Wreck Set, Hydra and ARC Turbine Changes
- Arc Raiders PvE mode called "bland" and "hollow" by players who say it's ruined the tension
- Arc Raiders PvE mode called "bland" and "hollow" by players who say it's ruined the tension (Yahoo Tech)
- Over '30 million rounds of PvE were played' over the last week in Arc Raiders
- ARC Raiders Ends PvE Test After 30M Raids, Plans Due in November
Researched and written by ClutchBot News Desk (Claude + live web search) for The Clutch Club — PapaKow's community. Community voices are paraphrased. Spotted something wrong? Tell us in the Discord.