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Short answer: As of 29 October 2026, ARC Raiders has no permanent, dedicated PvE mode. Embark Studios ran a damage-off PvE matchmaking toggle from 13–20 October, then removed it while it analyzes more than 30 million rounds and player feedback. A further announcement is expected in November, but no return date or permanent rules have been promised. In the live game, the practical way to find calmer raids is to play cooperatively and let the playstyle-based matchmaking system gradually place you nearer other non-aggressive players.
The same update cycle also changed progression. Frozen Trail (Update 2.0, 8 October 2026) replaced the old Raider Deck/Cred loop with 60-level Reward Passes, while Solo, Duo and Trio playstyles now have separate matchmaking histories.
Does ARC Raiders have a PvE mode?
Not as a live, dedicated mode. The only official PvE-only option was a limited test that ended on 20 October 2026. Standard raids remain PvPvE: ARC machines and other Raiders can threaten you in the same session, and Embark still says there are no default “PvE-only” lobbies where other players can never attack.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsEmbark announced the experiment on 24 September. Executive Producer Aleksander Grøndal said its purpose was “to give players an alternative to PvP encounters,” not to create a new progression system or a harder PvE challenge. He also warned that the trial was not a promise of a future mode. In the 20 October wrap-up, Embark reported more than 30 million PvE rounds, called the reaction polarizing, and said it expected to provide more information in November.
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The studio is considering several fundamentally different outcomes: a relaxed side mode between intense raids, an AI-focused challenge mode, or a complete PvE-only experience. Each would require different loot, matchmaking and live-service rules, so the October test should not be treated as the final design.
What happened to the October PvE toggle?
During 13–20 October, players could switch between classic PvPvE and a limited-time PvE destination from the matchmaking or destination screen. Player damage was disabled, Solos, Duos and Trios could share one session, and PvPvE matchmaking ratings were left unchanged. Your stash, loadout, skill tree and quest progress were shared with the rest of the game.
Safety was balanced with lower rewards. A Gamer Guides player test reported roughly 608,000 Raider Coins in PvE runs versus 690,000 in PvPvE runs, about 12% less; those figures are a guide’s test, not an Embark-published economy guarantee. Embark also gave PvPvE a slightly higher baseline during the trial because Friendly players already extracted more often and earned more value.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11| Feature | Limited PvE test | Standard PvPvE |
|---|---|---|
| Player damage | Disabled | Enabled |
| Squad matching | Solos, Duos and Trios mixed | Equal squad sizes prioritized where possible |
| Loot | Lower overall value | Slightly higher baseline during the test period |
| Playstyle rating | Did not change PvPvE rating | Behavior gradually shapes the relevant profile |
| Physical items | Barricades and ziplines still worked | Work normally |
| High-tension conditions | Several conditions unavailable | Available according to the normal schedule |
Embark’s original announcement named Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate and Frigate as excluded conditions. Later guides also documented Redirection as unavailable, particularly affecting Emperor and Pendola Pass farming; that fifth entry comes from guide reporting rather than the original four-item announcement.
For downed players, the official rule was that ARC could reacquire someone who was crawling and would ignore a player who stayed still. Some guides described an approximately eight-second grace period after movement, but that number was not published as an Embark rule and should not be relied on if the queue returns.
Is the PvE toggle coming back, and is PvE permanent?
There is no announced permanent queue, schedule or guarantee that the same rules will return. Embark opened a feedback channel and sent a survey to a representative sample beginning 22 October, then said a follow-up was expected in November. Until an official announcement changes the status, treat PvE as concluded experimentation rather than an available feature.
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The survey context explains why the idea remains under consideration. Embark’s 2026 figures describe 37% of players as Friendly co-op, 27% as Mixed and 34% as Pure PvP; the Friendly group has grown consistently since launch while the Pure PvP group has remained stable. More than 70% of Friendly players and 40% of PvP players said they wanted fewer hostile encounters, and 51% of the surveyed playerbase expressed interest in a dedicated PvE option. That is a survey result, not a census of every account.
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Matchmaking uses a continuous playstyle scale rather than two fixed lobby types. The system tries to place players with similar tendencies together while preserving the uncertainty of Topside, and it must balance that goal against queue time, latency and the chance of a successful raid. Similarity is more likely, never guaranteed.
Embark’s 20 May 2026 explainer explicitly rejects the idea that a single friendly and hostile bucket exists. There are no guaranteed friendly servers, and one shot or one kill does not instantly move an account into a “PvP-focused” lobby. Behavior influences future games gradually, so a single unusual round is not a permanent label.
Why am I getting PvP lobbies when I play friendly?
A cooperative profile reduces the likelihood of aggressive encounters; it does not remove them. Topside is intentionally unpredictable, and a hostile Raider can still enter a session that otherwise feels calm. If you need to defend yourself, Embark says defensive action is no longer treated the same as starting a fight.
Low-activity rounds, such as spawning and surrendering, carry less weight than normal play. The durable rules also say that loadout cost, end-of-round feedback, looting a knocked-out player, patches and crossplay settings do not determine lobby tone. Crossplay changes the available player pool and queue time, not whether opponents are cooperative.
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PlayerEcho reported a Live Update 1.39.0 (28 July 2026) test that counted fights started by the first shooter and treated third-partying as starting a fight. Because that was a live-service test that could be reverted, use Embark’s broader May guidance—defending is distinct from initiating—as the safer long-term rule.
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Are there friendly lobbies or PvE-only servers?
Not in the current standard queue. You can trend toward calmer sessions by avoiding damage to other players, but you may still encounter someone who attacks first. Staying cooperative may require giving up some opportunities for self-defense, so bring a plan for disengaging rather than assuming a non-hostile contract.
How do Solo, Duo and Trio squads affect matchmaking?
Since Live Update 1.36.0 on 7 July 2026, ARC Raiders tracks a separate playstyle profile for Solo, Duo and Trio rounds. Changing squad size is therefore the intended way to switch habits: peaceful solo plant-picking does not automatically contaminate an aggressive trio history, and the reverse is also true.
In normal PvPvE, the system prioritizes equal squad sizes where possible. Every member contributes equally to the squad profile; the squad leader has no special weighting. A premade trio is therefore evaluated from all three players’ behavior, not just the party owner’s record.
The October PvE test deliberately ignored that equal-size preference by mixing Solos, Duos and Trios. A solo player could meet a full trio more often than in a standard queue, even though player damage was disabled.
Does one kill put me in sweaty lobbies?
No. Embark says a single shot or kill does not immediately switch your profile. The system responds to behavior over time, and the weight of an encounter depends on how the fight began and which squad-size profile was active.
Queue-teaming countermeasures also changed the social environment. PlayerEcho, citing Embark, reported that separating premade groups who attempted to force the same solo lobby reduced such teamers by 85% and reduced spoiled raids from about one in 50 to one in 300. Those are reported service figures, not a personal guarantee; proximity-chat teaming with someone you meet in a raid remains allowed.
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What is the Reward Pass, and what happened to Raider Decks?
Frozen Trail replaced the Raider Deck/Cred progression loop with Reward Passes. You complete Feats to earn rewards on the active pass, and Frozen Trail introduced both a current pass and a free Legacy Pass for older Raider Deck rewards. Previously earned unlocks remain unlocked.
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| Frozen Trail Premium | 1,150 Raider Tokens | Outfit modifications and colorways, legendary weapon stencils, hairstyles and cosmetics; no gameplay-benefit weapons or gadgets | Up to 1,150 Raider Tokens |
| Legacy | Free | Cosmetics and Raider Tokens consolidated from older Raider Decks | Varies by legacy reward |
The Frozen Trail pass contains 60 levels. Premium costs 1,150 Raider Tokens and can return up to 1,150 when completed, but its value is cosmetic rather than competitive: it contains no weapons or gadgets that provide gameplay benefits. The Free track is the one that supplies the new gameplay items.
Embark said the change addresses a problem with the old system: players accumulated Cred faster than new decks could absorb it, sometimes finishing a deck on its first day and losing motivation to keep completing Feats. Reward Passes are tied to the update that introduces them, while the Legacy Pass keeps remaining older rewards available.
How do I progress after Frozen Trail?
- Choose the active pass. Frozen Trail offers a Free and Premium track, while Legacy is a separate free home for older Raider Deck rewards.
- Complete Feats. Feats feed Reward Pass progress. Secondary guides publish Easy, Medium and Hard point values, but Embark’s official explainer does not establish a universal point table, so use the values shown in your client.
- Watch the level gates. Guide reporting places Trials at level 15, Projects at 20 and Nomadic Envoys at 25. The Solo vs Squads unlock was previously associated with level 40 but was removed in Update 2.0 while Embark re-evaluates its incentive.
- Check time-limited content in-game. Trials Season 6 (Frozen Trials) began with Frozen Trail on 8 October 2026. Mobalytics lists 12 January 2027 as its currently published end date; live-service dates can be revised.
Expedition availability is less certain. Official 1.36.0 notes still included Expedition 4 content, while later secondary listings describe a fifth Expedition as the last before an early-2027 return. Because an official pause notice was not available in the published material, check the current client rather than assuming a schedule.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is included in the Collector Set DLC?
The digital Collector Set, specifically called out for Steam by Embark, bundles a cosmetic set, the Renzo outfit, a Dragon’s Breath weapon stencil, Bob hairstyle, 2,400 Raider Tokens, Frozen Trail Premium Reward Pass access and an exclusive Retro Sofa for the Raider Outpost. It also includes the only blueprint for the new Banjo. These are purchase contents, not a separate progression system, and availability should be verified in the relevant store for your platform.
What should I do if I want calmer raids now?
Use the standard queue with realistic expectations: no setting guarantees safety, but your behavior can gradually move the relevant profile toward cooperative players.
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- Queue in the squad size whose behavior you want to maintain; Solo, Duo and Trio histories are separate.
- Avoid initiating fights and disengage when possible. Defending yourself is treated differently from starting combat, but the system still cannot promise a friendly opponent.
- Do not surrender repeatedly to manipulate the profile; low-activity rounds carry less weight.
- Expect occasional hostile Raiders even in a cooperative session, and plan extraction routes that do not depend on strangers honoring a truce.
- Ignore claims that a personal matchmaking score can be looked up. Embark does not expose the score, so any site presenting a precise ABMM number is inventing it.
What platforms and version apply to these rules?
ARC Raiders launched in late October 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles. The separate Solo, Duo and Trio tracking in Live Update 1.36.0 applies across those platforms. This FAQ reflects the live-service state documented on 29 October 2026; matchmaking tuning, Reward Pass content and the November PvE decision can change without preserving the October test’s rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can PvE extracts advance my quests and skill tree?
During the October toggle, PvE shared stash, loadout, quest and skill-tree progress with PvPvE, so successful extracts counted for account progression. Embark said the test was not introducing a separate PvE progression track; a future mode could still use different rules.
Can a solo player be matched against a trio?
In standard PvPvE, equal squad sizes are prioritized, so solo players are generally kept with solos when queue conditions allow. The October PvE test intentionally mixed Solos, Duos and Trios, making cross-size encounters more common in that temporary queue.
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Does changing crossplay make my lobbies friendlier?
No. Embark says crossplay changes the player pool and potential queue time, not the cooperation-versus-PvP tendency of the lobby. The playstyle profile is the relevant factor.
Are Premium Reward Pass items pay-to-win?
No gameplay-benefit weapons or gadgets are in the Premium Frozen Trail track. Premium rewards are cosmetic modifications, colorways, stencils, hairstyles and tokens; the Free track contains the new weapons and gadgets.
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