Embark Studios has finally pulled back the curtain on one of ARC Raiders’ most debated systems, confirming that the game does not have PvE-only lobbies or servers. While many players believed the game secretly separated friendly Raiders from more aggressive ones, Embark says the truth is more complicated. Matchmaking does consider playstyle, but it does not create completely safe lobbies where other players will never attack you.
The clarification comes as new matchmaking changes go live in ARC Raiders, aimed at making the system better understand how players actually behave during raids.
ARC Raiders Matchmaking Is Based on Playstyle, Not Fixed PvE or PvP Lobbies
In a new official breakdown, Embark explained that ARC Raiders matchmaking takes several factors into account when building a lobby. One of the strongest factors is a player’s previous playstyle, especially how they interact with other Raiders. However, the studio made it clear that this system is not binary. Players are not simply placed into “friendly” or “shoot on sight” buckets.
Instead, Embark describes it as a continuous scale. Some players may be more cooperative, some may lean heavily into PvP, and many fall somewhere in the middle. The system tries to match players with others closer to their own style, but it never guarantees that a raid will be peaceful.
If you mostly avoid fights, help other players, and focus on looting or objectives, ARC Raiders can still throw danger your way. According to Embark, that uncertainty is part of what makes Topside work.
Embark Says There Are No PvE-Only Lobbies in ARC Raiders
According to Embark, ARC Raiders does not have PvE-only lobbies. The studio directly addressed the long-running community theory, saying there are no servers where other Raiders are guaranteed to never attack you.
Your playstyle can make certain types of encounters more likely, but it does not remove risk from the game.
In other words, you may be more likely to meet players with similar tendencies, but ARC Raiders is still a PvPvE extraction shooter at its core. A friendly run can still turn hostile, and a quiet raid can still end with another Raider making a different choice.
New Matchmaking Changes Are Now Live
Alongside the clarification, Embark confirmed that two matchmaking changes are now live. The first change separates self-defense from starting a fight. Previously, the system did not properly distinguish between players who initiated PvP and players who only fought back after being attacked.
If the system works as intended, defensive play should no longer push players toward more PvP-heavy matches in the same way as actively hunting other Raiders.
The second change reduces the matchmaking weight of low-activity rounds. Embark said rounds with very little interaction, such as spawning in and quickly surrendering, previously affected a player’s estimated playstyle more than expected. With the new update, those rounds should have less influence on how the game reads your behavior.
Loadouts, Surveys, and Crossplay Do Not Control Your Lobby Type
Embark also used the matchmaking breakdown to clear up several other common myths. Your loadout does not affect matchmaking, meaning the game does not scale lobby difficulty based on how expensive or powerful your kit is. End-of-round feedback also does not act as a lever for your next lobby, even though Embark still uses survey data to study broader player trends.
The studio also confirmed that turning crossplay on or off does not change how cooperative or aggressive your matches will be. It only changes the available matchmaking pool, which can affect wait times.
ARC Raiders players have often tried to reverse-engineer the system through loadout choices, survey responses, crossplay settings, and even surrendering early. Embark’s message is that long-term behavior matters far more than any single trick.
The new matchmaking changes should make ARC Raiders feel fairer for players who avoid unnecessary fights, especially those who only shoot back when attacked. At the same time, Embark is making it clear that no one should expect guaranteed peaceful lobbies.
