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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →ARC Raiders’ limited PvE matchmaking test is scheduled for October 13–20, 2026. It will let players choose a cooperative session focused on fighting ARC instead of the game’s usual PvPvE experience. The test is temporary: Embark has not announced a permanent PvE mode or a launch date for one.
When does the ARC Raiders PvE test start?
Embark Studios announced the test for October 13–20, 2026. As of October 7, 2026, those dates are still upcoming. The studio describes the feature as a limited matchmaking-toggle test, not a permanent mode launch. Embark’s September 24 announcement says the toggle will be removed after the test.
How will the PvE test work?
A matchmaking toggle will let you choose between the standard PvPvE experience and the PvE test. In PvE sessions, player-to-player damage is disabled, and players cooperate against ARC. Solo, duo, and trio players will be matched together in those sessions. Embark says it is designing the switch to be seamless. The official announcement explains the test rules.
What changes between PvPvE and the PvE test?
| Feature | Standard PvPvE | PvE test |
|---|---|---|
| Player damage | Hostile player encounters and damage are possible. | Player-to-player damage is disabled. |
| Matchmaking | Standard matchmaking applies. | Solo, duo, and trio players share sessions. |
| Loot | Baseline loot values will be slightly higher during the test. | Overall loot value will be lower to account for the relative safety. |
| Conditions | The standard experience includes the listed high-tension conditions. | Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate, and Frigate are excluded. |
| Matchmaking rating | Standard PvPvE matchmaking rating applies. | Playing PvE will not affect PvPvE matchmaking rating. |
| Availability | Standard experience. | Limited to October 13–20, 2026; the toggle is scheduled for removal afterward. |
The exclusions reflect Embark’s view that Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate, and Frigate depend on the uncertainty of meeting other players and are designed for higher tension. The loot adjustments are intended to account for the relative safety of PvE sessions and the test’s effects on the game economy. Embark outlined these rules and adjustments.
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What is not included in the test?
Embark says the test is meant to offer an alternative to hostile player encounters, not to introduce more challenging PvE or new PvE progression. The announcement does not describe new PvE content or a separate progression track for the test. It also warns that ARC may reacquire a downed player who crawls; if a downed player stays still, ARC will ignore them. The studio’s announcement includes this warning.
Is ARC Raiders getting a permanent PvE mode?
That has not been confirmed. Embark says it will remove the toggle when the limited test ends, return matchmaking to normal, and use player feedback and data to decide what comes next. It plans to share its findings and plans sometime after the test, but a lasting PvE option is not guaranteed and could differ from the test.
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Embark framed the experiment as a way to understand how to support players who primarily enjoy cooperative play and fighting ARC while retaining the game’s core principles. The studio says the game began as a raid-based PvE co-op concept before being reset as a PvPvE extraction adventure. It also recognizes that offering a PvE toggle could reduce some of the tension the game was built around.
Why is Embark testing a PvE option?
In its September 24, 2026 announcement, Embark reported that 37% of players were friendly co-op players, 27% mixed players, and 34% pure PvP players. It also said more than 70% of friendly players and 40% of PvP players wanted fewer hostile encounters, while 51% of the surveyed playerbase expressed interest in a dedicated PvE option. The announcement does not state the sample size or methodology for these figures, so they should be read as figures reported by Embark, not as an independently audited survey. Embark’s announcement provides the figures.
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Could PvE affect queue times or PvPvE matchmaking?
Embark anticipates that queue times could increase slightly in low-population regions or during off-hours, but this is a risk it has identified, not a confirmed outcome. The studio says it will monitor queue times and the quality of both PvE and PvPvE sessions. PvE play will not change a player’s PvPvE matchmaking rating. The announcement describes those considerations.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Don’t confuse the PvE test with the October free trial
The PvE test is separate from the four-day free trial reported by GamesRadar as scheduled for October 8–12, 2026, on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. That trial precedes the PvE test; it is not the PvE mode or its start date. GamesRadar’s report covers the separate promotion.
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