ARC Raiders Might Have Just Made a Big Change to Matchmaking

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Players of ARC Raiders think a recent update may have changed how the game connects people for matches. Many are reporting that their lobbies are now filled with more hostile players. While there’s been debate about player-versus-player combat in ARC Raiders since its release in October, those who prefer to focus on the player-versus-environment side of the game appreciated the system that matched them with other cooperative players. Now, they’re worried that a significant change has made the game much less friendly.

While not the first of its kind, ARC Raiders has quickly become popular with players because it offers a more relaxed take on the extraction shooter genre. A key feature is its matchmaking system, which focuses on pairing players based on how aggressively they play. Although skill is considered, ARC Raiders primarily connects players who enjoy player-versus-player combat with others who do the same. Players who rarely engage in fights will be matched with more peaceful opponents. This ensures everyone has a good experience: those who prefer to focus on collecting loot and destroying ARC can do so without interruption, while players looking for a fight won’t have to worry about accidentally hitting teammates.

ARC Raiders Lobbies Seem to Be Much More Aggressive Now

So, Embark dropped another update for ARC Raiders this week – version 1.12.0. It mostly fixed some glitches on the Stella Montis map and stopped players from exploiting ways to duplicate items. The patch notes didn’t say anything about changing how matchmaking works, but a lot of us are noticing lobbies feel way more aggressive now. I saw a post on Reddit from a player named Element423 who was asking if anyone else had noticed this. They said they usually avoid conflict – they ‘never shoot at anyone’ – but got taken out three times in a row on Dam Battlegrounds after the update. They figured it happens sometimes, but three in a row felt pretty weird, and a lot of other players seem to agree!

The post quickly gained over a thousand responses in under a day, indicating a lot of other players are experiencing the same thing. Many shared similar stories, with one player noting a shift from helpful lobbies to being constantly targeted. Another observed a mix of player behavior, suggesting the game developers, Embark, might be trying to balance matches with both friendly and competitive players. Some believe the matchmaking system resets with each update, meaning players who prefer cooperation have to rebuild their way back into positive lobbies.

Embark hasn’t officially announced any changes to how players are matched in the game, so current ideas about adjustments are just player speculation. However, the developers have previously stated they’re always working to improve the matchmaking system, which focuses on pairing players based on their aggressiveness. It’s possible this latest update included some subtle tweaks to that system, even if they haven’t been publicly announced.

The game’s matchmaking is causing frustration among players. Some are finding ways to exploit the system and get into easier lobbies, even if they’re typically competitive. While others see this as a way to unfairly get easy wins, I use it to safely collect better gear without constantly being attacked. The developers at Embark have said the system is more complex than it appears and isn’t a simple pairing of players, and it seems they’ve been tweaking it recently.

So, Embark has been talking about tweaking how we find matches in ARC Raiders, and honestly, I’m expecting more of that going forward. Beyond just fixing bugs and making things smoother, they’ve also said they’re planning to drop a bunch of new maps throughout the year – and they’re not all going to be the same size, which sounds pretty cool. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what they come up with!

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2026-01-21 19:08