PvE Toggle

ARC Raiders has no PvE mode as of Oct 31, 2026. Embark tested a PvE matchmaking toggle with no player damage from Oct 13 to Oct 20, 2026, players ran more than 30 million PvE rounds, the toggle was then removed, and Embark expects to say more in November.

ARC Raiders has no PvE mode you can select as of Oct 31, 2026. Embark tested a PvE matchmaking toggle from Oct 13 at 11:00 CEST to Oct 20 at 11:00 CEST, 2026, removed it when the test ended, and has not decided what comes next. Players ran more than 30 million PvE rounds, Embark called the test polarizing, and it expects to follow up in November. The later patch notes for 2.3.0 on Oct 27 say nothing further about it. The standard game stays PvPvE, with Matchmaking based on playstyle.

Quick facts

Test	Oct 13 to 20, 2026, 11:00 CEST both ends
Available now	No
Player damage in the test	Zero
Loot value in the test	Lowered in PvE, slightly raised in PvPvE
Rounds played	More than 30 million PvE
Excluded conditions	Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate, Redirection
Survey	To a sample of players from Oct 22, 2026
Next word	November 2026, expected

Sources: PvE Toggle Beta Test, Oct 13, 2026; PvE Toggle Beta Test background, Sep 24, 2026; Thanks for taking part, Oct 20, 2026; Store Update 2.2.0, Oct 20, 2026.

Why Embark tested it

For a long time the answer was no: in May 2026 Embark wrote that there are no PvE-only lobbies. On Sep 24, 2026 executive producer Aleksander Grøndal gave survey numbers for the change of heart: players split 37% friendly co-op, 27% mixed and 34% pure PvP; over 70% of friendly players and about 40% of PvP players wanted fewer hostile encounters; and 51% wanted a dedicated PvE option. PC Gamer's headline quoted Embark: "We can't ignore what the data is telling us." Embark also stated plainly that the test was "not a promise that there will be a PvE mode in the future", and that any later version could look very different.

The rules of the test

All rules are as Embark gave them for the Oct 13 to 20, 2026 test.

Damage: zero player-to-player damage.
Throwables: stun and fire items and other throwables do not work on other players.
Physical items: barricades and ziplines work as usual.
Loot: overall value lowered on PvE servers.
Squads: squad separation is not prioritized, so groups of different sizes meet more often. Solos, Duos and Trios can share a session.
Excluded conditions: Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection offered no PvE option.
Downed Raiders: ARC will not acquire you for 8 seconds after you go down, but may attack if they catch you moving afterward.
Queues: times may rise in low-population regions and quiet hours.

The September post listed four excluded conditions; the October post added Redirection, and that later list is the one to use. See Map Conditions.

The effect on matchmaking and loot

Embark built the test so that the two modes would not bleed into each other. Playing PvE did not affect your PvPvE matchmaking rating, and standard matchmaking kept applying in PvPvE sessions so Embark could measure the toggle's effect on them. It warned that PvPvE quality could shift depending on how many players took the toggle. Because friendly players extract more often and earn more, PvPvE sessions got slightly higher baseline loot during the test. Embark has published no result for those effects as of Oct 31, 2026.

What Embark said afterward

Patch 2.2.0 on Oct 20 asked what could improve and how PvPvE changed during the test, pointing players to a Discord channel and a survey for a representative sample starting Oct 22. The thank-you post of the same day gives more than 30 million PvE rounds, calls the test polarizing, says the team needs time with the data, and says any decision will put the overall health and enjoyability of the game first. Insider Gaming also reported that a decision on its future is expected in November. Embark has given no share of players or win rates. See What Comes Next.

If you want fewer fights today, playstyle matching is the tool: Embark says your behavior moves your lobbies gradually. See Matchmaking and PvP Guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does ARC Raiders have a PvE mode? No, as of Oct 31, 2026. ARC Raiders tested a PvE toggle from Oct 13 to 20, 2026 and then removed it.

Will the ARC Raiders PvE toggle come back? Embark has not decided. It said the test was not a promise and expects to share more in November 2026.

Can you turn off PvP in ARC Raiders? Not now. Only during the Oct 13 to 20, 2026 test could you pick servers with no player damage. The standard game has no off switch.

Did ARC Raiders PvE have worse loot? Yes. Overall loot value was lowered on PvE servers in the test, and PvPvE sessions got slightly higher baseline loot.

Did playing PvE change your ARC Raiders matchmaking? No. Embark said PvE play would not affect your PvPvE matchmaking rating.

How many people played the ARC Raiders PvE test? Embark has not given a player count. It reported more than 30 million PvE rounds.