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ARC Raiders did offer a dedicated PvE matchmaking toggle, but only as a limited test from October 13 through October 20, 2026. During that window, Raiders could choose an online session with zero player-to-player damage, mixed solo/duo/trio matchmaking, and ARC as the primary threat. Embark removed the toggle when the test ended, and its official announcement had not confirmed a permanent PvE playlist by October 29, 2026. The game still has several ways to play with friends, plus a separate Solo vs Squads challenge that is PvP—not PvE.
At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Availability | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated PvE test | Relaxed scavenging and co-op against ARC | Zero player-to-player damage; Solos, Duos and Trios shared sessions; lower overall loot value | Limited test, October 13–20, 2026; permanent mode not confirmed | Oct 2026 |
| Standard PvPvE | Full extraction tension and player conflict | ARC and other Raiders can threaten the run | Normal matchmaking experience | Oct 2026 |
| Solo vs Squads | Solo players seeking a high-risk PvP challenge | Solo Raider enters Squads queue; level 40+; +20% end-of-round XP bonus on successful extraction and defeat | Added in update 1.13.0 | Oct 2026 |
| Open parties and squad invites | Forming a group with friends | Open parties, squad invites and Discord-friend joining when open party is enabled | Documented in update 1.13.0 | Oct 2026 |
Can you play ARC Raiders PvE now?
The only documented dedicated PvE playlist was a time-limited test that ran from October 13 to October 20, 2026. It was not announced as a permanent mode, and the authoritative announcement said the toggle would be removed after the test. As of October 29, no newer official source confirms that a permanent replacement went live.
That means a missing PvE option is not necessarily a settings problem. Unless Embark publishes a later announcement, the reliable choices are the standard PvPvE queue, ordinary solo or squad play, and the separate Solo vs Squads challenge.
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What did PvE mean in the test?
Test PvE was still an online matchmaking experience. You entered a session with other Raiders, but player-to-player damage was disabled, shifting the immediate threat to ARC machines and the environment.
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Zero damage from other players
“PvE” referred specifically to the damage rule: Raiders could not harm one another. Other players could still be present in the same session, so this was not an offline mode or a private single-player map. The focus was on scavenging, quests, exploration and social co-op without the normal risk of being shot by another team.
ARC could still finish a downed player
The reduced player threat did not make a run consequence-free. Embark warned that ARC could re-acquire a player who was crawling while downed. Reviving a teammate and managing ARC pressure therefore remained important even when hostile Raider damage was disabled.
Safer play came with a loot trade-off
Overall loot value was lowered for the PvE test to compensate for the relative safety of the queue. Treat the mode as a lower-pressure way to learn routes, complete objectives and play socially, not as an identical-reward alternative to PvPvE.
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The test changed the social risk of an extraction run, not the fact that it was an online session. You still matched with other people, formed your own party before queuing, entered a shared environment and dealt with ARC threats. The defining protection was that one Raider could not damage another Raider.
- It was not offline play: matchmaking still placed you in a populated session.
- It was not a private lobby guarantee: other Solos, Duos and Trios could be present.
- It was not identical to PvPvE: the test lowered overall loot value and excluded four named conditions.
- It was not risk-free: ARC could re-acquire a downed player who was crawling.
This distinction matters when deciding whether the test suited your goal. It was designed to reduce hostile-player pressure while preserving the cooperative extraction loop, rather than to provide a completely isolated practice area.
How did PvE matchmaking work?
The PvE test used a shared matchmaking pool for Solos, Duos and Trios. Selecting PvE did not create separate lobbies for each party size.
Mixed party sizes in one session
A solo Raider, a two-person party and a three-person squad could all be placed in the same PvE session. Your own party remained the group you queued with, but the wider lobby was not restricted to matching party sizes. This arrangement preserved a populated co-op environment while keeping the no-player-damage rule.
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What the toggle changed
The matchmaking choice separated the tested PvE experience from the normal PvPvE queue. PvE removed player damage and adjusted loot value; PvPvE retained the ordinary player-versus-player threat and its higher baseline reward structure during the test period.
What it did not change
The toggle did not promise a particular party composition, a private map or access to every condition. A solo queue could still place you alongside duos and trios, and the test’s exclusions applied regardless of whether you entered alone or with friends.
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How would you turn on PvE during the test?
Embark described the feature as a matchmaking toggle rather than a separate game install or account setting. The announcement did not document a deeper menu path than the matchmaking choice itself, so use the following sequence as the functional flow, not as a promise about current interface labels.
- Open ARC Raiders’ matchmaking screen.
- Choose the PvE matchmaking toggle instead of the normal PvPvE option.
- Queue with your current party size—solo, duo or trio. The resulting session can include all three sizes.
- Check the selected conditions before confirming, because several named activities were excluded from the test.
- Start matchmaking. If the toggle is absent after October 20, 2026, that is consistent with the announced end of the test rather than evidence of a local configuration error.
If you are checking an older guide or video, compare its date with the October 13–20 test window. Instructions showing a PvE switch may accurately describe that event while still being outdated for a later build.
Which maps or conditions were available in PvE?
The test did not cover every condition. Four named activities were explicitly excluded:
- Night Raids
- Hidden Bunker
- Locked Gate
- Frigate
Do not assume that a map or condition available in PvPvE was also available in the PvE test. The announcement identifies these exclusions but does not establish a complete permanent PvE map list. The safest expectation was that the test offered only the conditions left eligible by the event rules, not a one-for-one copy of the standard queue.
What was the practical risk and reward balance?
Removing player-to-player damage changed the most unpredictable threat, but it did not remove the need to manage a run. ARC encounters, movement through the environment, objectives and extraction still defined the session. A downed player who crawled could be re-acquired by ARC, so teammates still had to decide when to revive, reposition or abandon an unsafe approach.
The compensation was economic rather than mechanical: Embark lowered overall loot value in the PvE test. That makes the mode useful for learning, quest progress and relaxed group play, but it should not be treated as the optimal choice for maximizing loot value. PvPvE retained the higher baseline reward structure during the test because it preserved the additional danger of hostile Raiders.
What is the difference between PvE and PvPvE?
PvE reduced pressure from other Raiders, while PvPvE retained the full extraction-game conflict. The choice affected threat, matchmaking, rewards and available conditions.
| Factor | Tested PvE | Standard PvPvE |
|---|---|---|
| Opponent threat | ARC pressure; zero player-to-player damage | ARC plus damage from other Raiders |
| Lobby composition | Solos, Duos and Trios mixed in one session | Normal queue matchmaking behavior |
| Rewards | Overall loot value lowered for the test | Higher baseline values retained during the test |
| Content | Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate and Frigate excluded | Those exclusions did not define the standard queue |
| Best fit | Quests, exploration, scavenging and social co-op | Players who want the tension of possible Raider encounters |
In short, choose PvE when the priority is a calmer cooperative session and choose PvPvE when the possibility of player conflict is part of the appeal. Neither label should be read as a promise about a permanent playlist beyond the dated test.
How can you play ARC Raiders with friends?
The January 1.13.0 update documents several group-building tools that are separate from the temporary PvE toggle. You can use open parties and squad invitations to assemble a group, and you can join through Discord friends when open party is enabled.
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Open parties
Enable open party when you want friends to be able to join your active group through the game’s party system. This is a social matchmaking setting, not a PvE rule; it does not remove player damage from the standard queue.
Squad invites
Use the squad-invite function to bring specific friends into your group before queuing. Your party can then enter the available matchmaking experience together, subject to that experience’s party-size rules.
Joining through Discord friends
Discord-friend joining is documented when open party is enabled. If a friend cannot join through Discord, check that the host’s open-party setting is active before troubleshooting the game connection.
Gamepad setup
Update 1.13.0 also added gamepad rebinding. That is a control customization option rather than a co-op mode, but rebinding can be useful when a group is coordinating movement, inventory and revive actions.
A simple group setup checklist
- Decide whether the group wants ordinary PvPvE or the dated PvE test rules.
- Use an open party or send squad invites to assemble the intended friends.
- If joining through Discord, verify that open party is enabled for the host.
- Confirm whether the party is a solo, duo or trio before matchmaking.
- Review the selected conditions and remember that the test excluded Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate and Frigate.
These tools help people meet in the same party; they do not guarantee a particular lobby composition or convert a normal queue into PvE.
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Yes. Solo play exists in the ordinary matchmaking structure, and the PvE test also accepted solo Raiders. However, a solo queue did not mean an empty or solo-only session: PvE mixed Solos, Duos and Trios in the same lobby.
There is also a deliberately different solo option called Solo vs Squads. It is for players who want to enter the Squads queue alone and face the PvP challenge of squad encounters. It should not be confused with the safer PvE test.
What is Solo vs Squads?
Solo vs Squads was added in update 1.13.0 for solo Raiders at level 40 or above who opt into the Squads queue. It is a PvP-oriented challenge, not a protected co-op playlist and not a replacement for PvE.
Eligibility and queue
- You must be playing solo.
- Your Raider must be level 40 or higher.
- You opt into the Squads queue rather than a solo-only queue.
Experience bonus
The option grants a 20% end-of-round XP bonus on successful extraction and defeat. The bonus is attached to this high-risk solo-versus-squads format; it does not apply to the temporary PvE toggle.
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Why the distinction matters
Both options involve a solo player, but they serve opposite purposes. Tested PvE removed Raider damage and lowered loot value for a calmer cooperative environment. Solo vs Squads deliberately put one player into a squad-oriented PvP queue and added an XP incentive for accepting that risk. Selecting the latter will not reproduce PvE rules.
Why did Embark run a PvE test?
Embark said its player population included different preferences: 37% identified as “Friendly co-op players,” 27% as “Mixed players” and 34% as “Pure PvP players.” More than 70% of Friendly players wanted fewer hostile encounters, while 40% of PvP players also expressed interest in fewer hostile encounters. Across the surveyed player base, 51% said they were interested in a dedicated PvE option.
Those figures explain the experiment, but they do not establish a permanent mode. Aleks, ARC Raiders executive producer, stated: “It’s possible that this will not work. This test is not a promise that there will be a PvE mode in the future, but take this as an indication that we’re seriously considering it.”
Which option fits your goal?
| If you want to… | Choose | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| Explore, scavenge and complete quests with less player pressure | The dated PvE test, when officially available | It had zero Raider damage, mixed party sizes, lower loot value and four exclusions. |
| Experience the complete extraction tension | Standard PvPvE | Other Raiders can damage you, alongside ARC threats. |
| Play alone against organized teams | Solo vs Squads | Level 40+, Squads queue, PvP challenge and 20% end-of-round XP bonus on successful extraction and defeat. |
| Bring friends together | Open party or squad invites | Discord joining requires open party to be enabled. |
What should you do if the PvE toggle is missing?
First, check the date of the official announcement you are reading. The documented test ended October 20, 2026, so the toggle should not be expected in a later build unless Embark announces its return.
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- Use the standard PvPvE queue if you want to play immediately with normal matchmaking.
- Use open parties, squad invites or Discord joining with open party enabled to group with friends.
- Choose Solo vs Squads only if you meet the level-40 requirement and want a PvP challenge.
- Do not treat a missing toggle as proof that a permanent PvE mode exists under another menu; no such replacement was confirmed in the official information available through October 29.
A menu change, patch, or community guide cannot by itself establish that the limited test has become permanent. Look for a newer announcement from Embark before assuming the rules, rewards or condition list have changed.
Is ARC Raiders PvE or PvP?
It supports both experiences, but in different forms. The standard game is PvPvE, combining ARC threats with player conflict; the dedicated PvE option described by Embark was a temporary test with zero player-to-player damage. Solo vs Squads is an additional PvP challenge, not PvE.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the ARC Raiders PvE mode return after October 20, 2026?
There is no confirmed return date in the official information available through October 29, 2026. A permanent playlist, repeat test or new schedule would require a newer announcement from Embark.
Could other players still be in a PvE session?
Yes. The test was online matchmaking, not offline play, and its lobby mixed Solos, Duos and Trios. The protection came from disabling player-to-player damage, not from removing other Raiders from the session.
How did you turn on PvE during the test?
You selected the PvE matchmaking toggle instead of the normal PvPvE option, then queued with your solo, duo or trio party. The toggle was removed when the October 13–20 test ended.
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What maps or conditions were available in ARC Raiders PvE?
The test explicitly excluded Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate and Frigate. The announcement did not provide a complete permanent map list, so do not assume every PvPvE condition was included.
Did PvE have the same loot as PvPvE?
No. Embark lowered overall loot value in the PvE test to compensate for the relative safety of zero player-to-player damage. PvPvE retained the higher baseline values during the test.
Can solo players be matched with squads?
Yes. PvE matchmaking mixed Solos, Duos and Trios in one session. Separately, Solo vs Squads lets a level-40-or-higher solo Raider opt into the Squads queue for a PvP challenge.
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No. Solo vs Squads is a separate level-40-plus option in the Squads queue for PvP encounters. Its documented incentive is a 20% end-of-round XP bonus on successful extraction and defeat, not the lower-loot PvE economy.
Can Discord friends join my ARC Raiders party?
The 1.13.0 update documents Discord-friend joining when the host has open party enabled. If open party is disabled, that documented joining route is unavailable.
Was the PvE test offline or single-player?
No. It was an online matchmaking experience with other Raiders. Player-to-player damage was disabled, but other Solos, Duos and Trios could still share the session.
Could ARC still down or finish a player in PvE?
Yes. Embark warned that ARC could re-acquire a downed player who was crawling, so revives and positioning still mattered even without hostile Raider damage.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: ARC Raiders’ dedicated PvE option was a real but time-limited October 13–20, 2026 test, not a confirmed permanent playlist. It offered online co-op against ARC with zero player-to-player damage, mixed Solos, Duos and Trios, lower overall loot value, and no Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate or Frigate. For current group play, use open parties, squad invites or Discord joining with open party enabled; choose Solo vs Squads only for its separate level-40-plus PvP challenge and 20% XP bonus.
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