ARC Raiders Dev Clears Up Confusion Around ‘Aggression-Based Matchmaking’ System

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A developer at Embark Studios has explained the studio’s matchmaking system in ARC Raiders after comments from the CEO caused some confusion. While the system does consider how aggressively players play when forming teams, Embark says calling it strictly “aggression-based” isn’t quite accurate and they plan to keep improving it.

Many popular online games, like Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Fortnite, use skill-based matchmaking to connect players for multiplayer matches. While the specifics differ between games, ARC Raiders‘ system is a bit more complex. After the game launched, players suspected it matched people based on how aggressively they played or the quality of their equipment. Embark’s CEO recently confirmed that ARC Raiders does use an aggression-based system. According to the CEO, the game considers how likely a player is to engage in player-versus-player (PvP) or player-versus-environment (PvE) combat when forming matches.

ARC Raiders Dev Explains Its Matchmaking System

The CEO of Embark previously stated that the game’s matchmaking system isn’t perfect, but players who primarily focus on player-versus-environment (PvE) content are less likely to be matched with those who enjoy player-versus-player (PvP) combat. In a recent GamesRadar+ interview, design lead Virgil Watkins clarified how the system functions. He explained that it’s inaccurate to describe the system as simply being ‘aggression-based,’ and that Embark will continue to refine it. However, he added that players are generally on the right track with their understanding of how it currently works.

When asked about players potentially manipulating the lobby system to get into Player vs. Environment (PvE) lobbies – a concern many ARC Raiders players have – the developer, Watkins, stated that it’s considered an intentional part of the game. While players can influence the system to find a less competitive environment, it’s not a simple switch between PvE and Player vs. Player (PvP). Watkins explained the system is weighted, meaning it’s not an either/or situation. It’s a complex system with multiple layers, and players shouldn’t expect to be exclusively matched with only PvE or PvP opponents.

According to the developer, Embark isn’t using skill-based or gear-based matchmaking, despite earlier statements from CEO Patrick Söderlund. They’ve confirmed that matches aren’t determined by player skill or the quality of their equipment. While games like Call of Duty (up to Black Ops 7) often use these systems, Embark intends to stick with its current approach, promising to track how matches play out and adjust things based on player feedback.

The lead designer explained how the game handles player-versus-player (PvP) combat and whether it can tell the difference between someone acting in self-defense and someone starting a fight. The system can track who shoots first and who takes damage, but it doesn’t try to figure out why someone is attacking. As the developer explained, if a less skilled player initiates an attack but misses, and a better player defends themselves, the game won’t recognize the initial intent. It simply registers that one player killed another. Essentially, the system just records PvP activity without making any judgements about who is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’; it doesn’t assess intent or morality.

Following a strong launch, 2026 looks promising for ARC Raiders. The development team at Embark is actively addressing the problem of cheaters and hackers in the game. After community frustration grew last week, Embark announced they’re taking the issue seriously and will be updating the game’s rules and adding new cheat detection systems. Players have recently reported that cheaters are receiving temporary bans.

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2026-01-13 12:34