Arc Raiders could split into separate PvE and PvP modes, executive producer says

Arc Raiders executive producer Aleksander Grøndal has confirmed that splitting the game into dedicated PvE and PvP modes is a real possibility — and Embark Studios is running a limited PvE test from 13th to 20th October to figure out how to make it work.

The test toggles an opt-in PvE matchmaking option where Raiders can't damage each other. Solos, duos, and trios are all matched into the same sessions, though Night Raids and the upcoming Frigate are excluded. Grøndal was candid about the limitations, saying the test is "somewhat limited around some of the higher-end stuff" because it could affect the broader experience. Embark was equally direct in its blog post, stating plainly that "it's possible that this will not work" and that the test "is not a promise that there will be a PvE mode in the future" — but added, "take this as an indication that we are seriously considering it."

The player data behind the decision is striking. Embark's own numbers show 37 percent of the playerbase are friendly co-op players, 34 percent are pure PvP players, and 27 percent play both ways. More tellingly, over 70 percent of friendly players and even 40 percent of PvP players want fewer hostile encounters, and 51 percent of surveyed players want a dedicated PvE option. Grøndal acknowledged the tension between player demand and original design intent: "It's important to respect how the players want to enjoy the game, even if it doesn't necessarily fully gel with what we thought the game was initially." Arc Raiders actually started life as a raid-based PvE co-op game with looting mechanics before Embark reset the project and rebuilt it as the PvPvE extraction shooter it is today — so a return to PvE roots wouldn't be a complete departure from the studio's original vision.

Embark also confirmed this week that Arc Raiders and The Finals are both getting film and TV adaptations in collaboration with Chernin Entertainment, the studio behind the successful Backrooms horror film. The PvE test result will likely shape how aggressively Embark pursues a full mode split going forward.