Arc Raiders is testing a PvE toggle next month — and Embark admits it might not work

Embark Studios is running a limited PvE test in Arc Raiders from October 13 to October 20, giving players a toggle to switch between standard PvP lobbies and lobbies where other players can't deal damage to you. It's a short, focused window — not a stress test, but a real look at whether the mode can function without breaking the game's core tension.

During the test, PvE loot will be lower-value to reflect the reduced stakes, and ARCs will target downed players to keep some pressure in the mix — though staying still means the AI ignores you entirely. Embark will be watching player economy and matchmaking times closely. The studio is upfront that this might go nowhere: "It's important to mention that this is not a risk-free test," they said, adding that the original, pre-launch version of Arc Raiders was actually a PvE game, and they've been reluctant to revisit that direction ever since.

The push to test this comes straight from Embark's own data. Since launch, 37% of the player base has settled into a friendly co-op playstyle — a group that's grown consistently — while 34% are pure PvP players, a figure that's stayed flat. Only 27% fall somewhere in between. More telling: over 70% of co-op-leaning players and even 40% of PvP players say they want fewer hostile encounters, and 51% of surveyed players expressed interest in a dedicated PvE option. That's hard data to ignore, and Embark isn't pretending otherwise.

The studio framed it candidly — they built the game with a specific vision, but after launch it belongs to the players. Whether the PvE toggle survives beyond October 20 depends on what the numbers show and how the community responds. Embark has made clear that player feedback during this window needs to be concrete and actionable if PvE is going to have any shot at becoming a permanent feature.