ARC Raiders Dev Says There Are No Friendly or Aggressive Lobbies

by

As a big fan of ARC Raiders, I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about ‘safe’ lobbies where you can just focus on the story, but it turns out that whole idea is a bit of a misunderstanding! The developers at Embark Studios have explained that there aren’t actually separate lobbies for friendly or aggressive players like in games like Escape from Tarkov or the upcoming Marathon. It’s not a simple system where you can reliably get into a purely PvE experience. Instead, the game uses a system that matches you with others based on how aggressively you play, and people have been figuring out ways to manipulate that to try and get into calmer lobbies, but it’s not as straightforward as everyone thought.

Most shooting games, like Battlefield and Call of Duty, pair players based on skill or connection quality. ARC Raiders takes a different approach. While skill is still considered, the developers at Embark Studios recently introduced a system that focuses on how much players enjoy fighting other players versus the environment. According to CEO Patrick Söderlund, players who prefer to focus on the environment and avoid player conflict will be matched with others who feel the same way. However, another developer at the studio clarified that the matchmaking isn’t simply a matter of choosing between player-versus-environment or player-versus-player – it’s more nuanced than that.

ARC Raiders Dev Shuts Down Popular Matchmaking Theory

Although the studio and players had previously believed it was possible to get into lobbies with friendly or aggressive players, design lead Virgil Watkins clarified to PC Gamer that this isn’t the case. He explained that the game’s matchmaking system doesn’t separate players based on how aggressively they play – everyone is mixed together. Watkins emphasized that it’s not a simple ‘one strike and you’re in’ system; shooting a single enemy won’t automatically put you in a more challenging lobby. Instead, the game considers a player’s behavior over multiple rounds to determine which type of lobby they’re placed in.

Balance the critic averages
Easy (6)Medium (8)Hard (10)

Critical Mass

Pick games to balance the averages.

Time: 00:00
Diff: —

Scales

Multiplier ×1.00
Left
Avg —
Right
Avg —

Results

0
—
More Games
Choose a game

Despite the game’s design not specifically separating players into friendly or competitive groups, some ARC Raiders lobbies naturally feel more welcoming than others. The developers were surprised by how many players embraced positive interactions within the game. According to Watkins, this encourages them to add more features that promote friendly gameplay, while still ensuring the game appeals to those who enjoy player-versus-player combat.

Aggression-based matchmaking has both advantages and disadvantages, but it ultimately lets players enjoy the game how they prefer. Players who like cooperative gameplay – teaming up to defeat large enemies like the Queen or Matriarch – can continue doing so. And those who prefer player-versus-player combat don’t have to worry about harming teammates. The developers at Embark now face the challenge of balancing the experience for both groups. The recent Shared Watch event encouraged players to focus on cooperative objectives, but it doesn’t seem like a dedicated player-versus-player event is planned anytime soon.

Although some lobbies aren’t always ideal, players have been finding ways to use ARC Raiders‘ matchmaking system – which prioritizes aggression – to join lobbies focused more on playing against the environment. Because of this, the CEO of Embark has stated they’ll keep adjusting the system, as it doesn’t align with the game’s original design. The matchmaking is intended to connect players fairly, not to separate them or let those wanting player-versus-player combat enter lobbies meant for player-versus-environment gameplay.

Players have frequently requested separate matchmaking for Duos and Trios, separate from Solo matches. The community has noticed that teaming up often leads to being immediately attacked by other teams, but some players don’t want to then return to playing Solo and continue fighting. It’s currently unclear if the game developers, Embark, plan to address this issue with changes to the matchmaking system.

Read More

2026-02-19 17:04