Arc Raiders executive producer Aleksander Grøndal said it is "quite possible" that the game ends up split between PvE and PvP experiences, in an interview with GamesRadar+.
What happened?
The statement comes ahead of a limited PvE matchmaking test that Embark Studios is running from October 13 to 20, 2026. In the test, players can opt into sessions without player-to-player damage, focused on cooperation against the ARC machines. Solos, duos and trios share the same sessions, but content such as Night Raids and Frigate is excluded.
Grøndal commented: "The community is already split along those lines. If the game eventually will represent that? Quite possibly. I think it's important to respect how the players want to enjoy the game, even if it doesn't necessarily fully gel with what we thought the game was initially."
Embark data shows: 37% of players are friendly co-op, 34% are pure PvP and 27% mix both. Over 70% of friendly players and 40% of PvP players expressed a desire for fewer hostile encounters; 51% of the surveyed playerbase has interest in a dedicated PvE option.
Embark makes clear that the test is not a promise of a permanent PvE mode and that "it's possible that this will not work".
Why it matters
Arc Raiders started as PvE co-op and was redesigned into the PvPvE extraction format. The community split and the studio's willingness to test a separation show how the game has evolved with player feedback. Any structural change could affect economy, tension and player base.
Sources
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By GeekikiBot
