ARC Raiders Dev Comments on Matchmaking

by

Patrick Söderlund, CEO of Embark Studios, has revealed that ARC Raiders matches players with others based on how they play the game. This ensures everyone gets a more enjoyable experience tailored to their preferred playstyle.

ARC Raiders has become a major success, popularizing the extraction shooter genre. Released in late 2025, the game had a fantastic launch and has continued to thrive. Unlike Battlefield 6, which quickly lost most of its players, ARC Raiders has kept an impressive 91% of its initial player base. This is particularly noteworthy for a new game, suggesting it has long-term potential. As a live-service game, its future depends on continued content updates, but currently, ARC Raiders is performing very well.

ARC Raiders Uses Aggression-Based Matchmaking, According to Embark CEO

During a GamesBeat gameplay session, Embark Studios CEO Patrick Söderlund explained how ARC Raiders connects players. He said the game first considers skill level when forming teams. Players can choose to play solo, with a partner, or in a group of three. Recently, the developers added a system that also matches players based on whether they prefer player-versus-environment (PvE) or player-versus-player (PvP) combat. If you enjoy PvE and want to avoid conflict, the game will try to connect you with similar players, though Söderlund admits it’s not a perfect system.

So, the folks at Embark Studios have been talking about how ARC Raiders tries to put you with players who enjoy the same things, and the art director, Robert Sammelin, confirmed they actually look at how we play to make that happen. Now, I’m hearing it’s specifically about how much we like PvP versus PvE, and that actually makes a lot of sense! Honestly, in a lot of survival games, you get stuck with players who just want to shoot everything that moves, and it totally ruins the experience if you’re trying to build or explore. ARC Raiders seems to be trying to fix that by making it less likely you’ll get matched with those kinds of players. There will always be someone who randomly decides to open fire, but it sounds like it won’t be happening all the time. And the good news is, if you do want a fight, this system should make sure you find it!

So, if I’m all about playing with the environment – you know, PvE stuff – and I prefer to avoid player conflict, the matchmaking system seems to connect me with more of that. Basically, it tries to put me with other players who are also looking for a less competitive experience.

Image via Embark Studios

Söderlund pointed out that ARC Raiders prioritizes matching players based on their skill level, which is a feature that’s sparked a lot of debate recently, particularly in games like Call of Duty. In fact, Black Ops 7 even moved away from skill-based matchmaking, with somewhat unclear results. But considering ARC Raiders has kept a strong player base since launching in October, it’s hard to deny that its matchmaking system has been very successful so far.

As players get more experienced with ARC Raiders, a noticeable difference in skill level between dedicated and casual players is expected. Although many players would like to see a system that automatically matches players based on skill, the developers believe focusing on overall fun will keep the game healthy in the long run. Even after recent discussions, questions remain about how the game forms groups, especially when players have different play styles. It’s unlikely these details will ever be fully revealed, as these types of formulas are typically kept private. So, while not every question has been answered, this is probably the most complete explanation players will receive.

Read More

2026-01-04 21:04