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Yes, but only temporarily as of October 17, 2026. Embark Studios’ PvE matchmaking beta, scheduled for October 13–20, disables all player-to-player damage. Outside that test, playing solo in ARC Raiders still means entering an online PvPvE match where other Raiders may attack. There is no documented offline mode or permanent PvE-only queue.
What the answer means in practice
ARC Raiders is built as a multiplayer extraction adventure. You can enter a match alone, form a party of two or three, fight ARC machines, collect equipment and extract. The important distinction is that solo describes your party size, not the absence of human opponents.
- Normal solo: You queue by yourself, but other human Raiders can share the session and attack you.
- Normal duos and trios: You can play with friends in parties of up to three, while other Raiders remain part of the threat.
- PvE beta: A temporary matchmaking toggle removes Raider-versus-Raider damage while leaving ARC machines active.
- Offline play: No offline option is documented. The game’s listed features include Online PvP, Online Co-op and Cross-Platform Multiplayer.
Therefore, “Can I avoid PvP?” has two answers: use the PvE toggle while the beta is running if you need guaranteed protection from other players; otherwise, expect possible PvP in every ordinary online match.
How normal solo matchmaking works
Queueing alone does not create a protected lobby
In the standard PvPvE experience, a solo Raider fights ARC machines and competes with or encounters other players. The official matchmaking notes explicitly say: “There are no ‘PvE-only’ lobbies/servers where other Raiders will never attack you.” That statement rules out a permanent peaceful queue under the normal rules.
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Embark describes matchmaking as using a continuous playstyle signal. Your behavior can make similar players more likely to appear in your sessions over time, but the system is not a promise that every opponent will be cooperative. A player who prefers avoiding fights may encounter more players with similar tendencies, yet a hostile Raider can still enter the same lobby.
Does solo matchmaking put you only against other solos?
No. The available matchmaking description does not guarantee solo-only opponents. Party composition and behavior are separate questions: entering alone controls your own squad size, while matchmaking decides which other Raiders share the session. The temporary PvE test explicitly mixes Solos, Duos and Trios in one session, and the normal game supports parties of up to three.
What risks remain when you play alone?
ARC machines remain an immediate threat, and human players add uncertainty around loot routes, extraction areas and encounters. A solo player has fewer teammates to revive, scout or carry supplies, so choosing to avoid combat is a tactical preference rather than a rules-based shield. You can attempt friendly interactions, disengage or extract early, but another Raider is not required to respect that approach.
The October 13–20, 2026 PvE matchmaking beta
What the toggle changes
During the scheduled beta, the matchmaking screen offers a choice between the classic PvPvE experience and a co-op PvE experience. Selecting PvE sets player-to-player damage to zero. The session is focused on ARC machines and cooperative social encounters, so another Raider cannot directly damage you during that test.
The beta supports Solos, Duos and Trios in the same PvE session. You can therefore queue alone or bring up to two friends without being placed in separate solo-only or squad-only PvE pools.
What the toggle does not remove
Zero Raider damage does not make a run risk-free. ARC machines remain dangerous, and the extraction objectives, resource decisions and machine encounters still determine whether you leave with your haul. The mode is safer against human attacks, not a creative mode, offline sandbox or invulnerability setting.
Beta restrictions and trade-offs
Embark is testing a deliberately different risk-and-reward balance. PvE runs have lower loot value than standard PvPvE runs. Several high-tension conditions are excluded from the beta’s rotation:
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- Night Raids
- Hidden Bunker
- Locked Gate
- Frigate
Playing PvE does not alter your PvPvE matchmaking rating. That lets you try the safer rules without changing the rating used for the competitive PvPvE experience.
Is the PvE mode permanent?
Not on the evidence available for this date. The event is scheduled to end on October 20, 2026, and Embark has not promised that the toggle will become a permanent mode. Executive Producer Aleks described the test plainly: “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 are seriously considering it.”
If you are deciding whether to wait for PvE, treat the October event as a limited experiment rather than a guaranteed roadmap feature. A later test could use different rules, restrictions or availability.
Normal solo versus the temporary PvE toggle
| Feature | Normal solo PvPvE | PvE matchmaking beta, October 13–20, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Human-player damage | Other Raiders can attack and damage you. | Player-to-player damage is disabled. |
| Session composition | Standard matchmaking; no guarantee that opponents are solo. | Solos, Duos and Trios share the same PvE session. |
| ARC machines | Present and dangerous. | Present and dangerous. |
| Loot value | Standard PvPvE balance. | Lowered to compensate for safer runs. |
| Map conditions | Normal rotation. | Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate and Frigate are excluded. |
| PvPvE matchmaking rating | Normal rating behavior. | Unaffected while playing PvE. |
| Availability | Core online experience. | Time-limited beta scheduled for October 13–20, 2026; permanence is undecided. |
How to use the PvE option while it is active
The beta is a matchmaking choice, not a separate offline installation. Use this sequence during the announced dates:
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →- Check the event window. The announced test runs from October 13 through October 20, 2026. If the toggle is no longer presented, the scheduled test period has ended or the event rules have changed.
- Open matchmaking and select the PvE toggle. Choose the co-op PvE experience instead of the classic PvPvE option.
- Choose your party size. Queue as a Solo, Duo or Trio. All three party sizes can enter the same PvE matchmaking pool.
- Plan for ARC threats. Zero player damage does not disable machines, extraction hazards or resource pressure.
- Adjust expectations for rewards and conditions. Loot value is reduced, and the four listed conditions—Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate and Frigate—are not included.
- Return to PvPvE when you want the standard risk-and-reward balance. PvE participation does not change your PvPvE matchmaking rating, but it also does not preserve the full loot or condition rotation.
The exact placement or wording of the toggle can change with the event interface. The functional choice is the important part: select PvE matchmaking rather than the classic PvPvE queue.
Can you play with friends without fighting other players?
During the beta, yes. A Duo or Trio can cooperate against ARC machines with player damage set to zero. The mixed session design means you do not need a separate “friends-only” server; Solos, Duos and Trios are all part of the same PvE matchmaking environment.
Outside the beta, you can still form a party of up to three, but the normal game remains PvPvE. Your friends can help you survive machines and extract loot, while another Raider may attack the group. Party play improves coordination; it does not create immunity from human opponents.
The Solo vs Squads toggle is not a PvE setting
A separate feature documented in the January 2026 Headwinds patch 1.13.0 can confuse this issue. At level 40 and above, a solo Raider could enable a toggle to join the Squads queue. Extracting or being defeated with that option provided a 20% XP bonus.
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This feature increases the PvP challenge by placing a lone player into the squads matchmaking context. It is not a peaceful queue, a solo-protection setting or an alternative to the October PvE beta. The available documentation confirms that the feature existed in patch 1.13.0, but does not establish whether a later update changed its availability. Treat it as a documented patch feature rather than an assured current menu item.
What Embark’s player data says about demand for PvE
Embark reported three broad playstyle groups in 2026:
- 37% friendly co-op players
- 27% mixed players
- 34% pure PvP players
In the same reporting, 51% of the surveyed player base expressed interest in a dedicated PvE option. More than 70% of friendly players and 40% of PvP players said they wanted fewer hostile encounters. Those figures help explain why Embark is testing a separate rule set, but they do not guarantee that a permanent PvE mode will launch.
The matchmaking signal is intended to respond to behavior rather than divide the game into an absolute friendly server and hostile server. That is why ordinary play can feel more cooperative over time without ever becoming reliably PvP-free.
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Based on the announced schedule, the guaranteed zero-damage rules apply only through October 20, 2026. After the test, the standard expectation is the online PvPvE experience unless Embark announces another event or mode. The developer has specifically warned that the experiment may not work and has not committed to preserving the toggle.
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If you only want ARC-machine combat, check the in-game matchmaking choices and current announcements when the beta window closes. Do not assume that a solo queue, playstyle matching or the Solo vs Squads toggle substitutes for a PvE-only mode: none of those options guarantees protection from other Raiders.
Which option fits your goal?
You want zero human damage
Use the PvE matchmaking toggle during the October 13–20 beta. Confirm that the toggle is active before queuing, and accept the lower loot value and excluded conditions.
You want to learn the game alone
Normal solo queue lets you practice against ARC machines, but keep an extraction plan for possible Raider encounters. Your playstyle may influence who you meet, yet the lobby is not guaranteed to be peaceful.
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You want the full reward and map rotation
Choose normal PvPvE. It retains standard loot value and normal conditions, at the cost of possible human attacks.
You want a private offline experience
ARC Raiders is documented as an online multiplayer game. There is no documented offline mode, and the PvE beta is a matchmaking rule set rather than a local or private server.
You want to play with friends
Form a Duo or Trio. During the beta, the group can cooperate without player damage; outside it, the same party remains exposed to other Raiders.
The Bottom Line
ARC Raiders can be played without PvP damage only through the time-limited PvE matchmaking beta scheduled for October 13–20, 2026. Normal solo play is still online PvPvE, matchmaking only nudges player behavior, and no permanent PvE-only or offline mode has been documented.
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