The ARC Raiders PvE test is scheduled to run from October 13 to 20, 2026. It will add a temporary matchmaking toggle for co-op sessions where player-to-player damage is disabled. Embark has not announced a permanent PvE mode or launch date; the toggle is planned to be removed after the test.
When does the ARC Raiders PvE test start?
Embark Studios announced the test for October 13–20, 2026. As of October 7, 2026, those dates are still upcoming. The studio describes this as a limited test, not the launch of a permanent mode. Embark’s September 24 announcement says the test will help it assess the option and decide what to do next.
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How the PvE toggle will work
A matchmaking toggle will let players choose between the familiar PvPvE experience and the PvE test. Embark says it is designing the switch to be seamless. In PvE sessions, players can cooperate against ARC, and player-to-player damage is disabled. Solo, duo, and trio players will be mixed together in these sessions. Embark’s announcement also says PvE play will not affect a player’s PvPvE matchmaking rating.
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Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate, and Frigate will not be available in PvE. Embark says these conditions rely on uncertainty about encountering other players and are designed for higher tension.
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Loot and downed players
Loot values will be adjusted to account for PvE’s relative safety: overall loot value will be lower in PvE, while PvPvE sessions will have slightly higher baseline loot values during the test. Embark also warns that ARC may reacquire a downed player who crawls; it says ARC will ignore a downed player who stays still. These rules and adjustments are outlined in the studio’s announcement.
PvE test compared with PvPvE
| What changes | Standard PvPvE | PvE test |
|---|---|---|
| Player damage | Hostile player encounters can include player damage. | Player-to-player damage is disabled. |
| Session mix | Standard matchmaking. | Solo, duo, and trio players share sessions. |
| Loot economy | Slightly higher baseline loot values during the test. | Overall loot value is lowered to account for relative safety. |
| Conditions | Standard experience. | Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate, and Frigate are excluded. |
| Matchmaking rating | PvPvE rating applies. | PvE play does not affect PvPvE matchmaking rating. |
| Availability | Standard experience. | October 13–20, 2026; the toggle is scheduled to be removed afterward. |
Embark says low-population regions and off-hours could see slightly longer queues, but this is an anticipated risk, not a confirmed result. The studio plans to monitor queue times and the quality of both kinds of session.
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Why Embark is testing a PvE option
Embark says ARC Raiders began as a raid-based co-op PvE game before the team reset it as a PvPvE extraction adventure. The studio now sees a sizable group playing primarily for co-op and ARC encounters and wants to learn how to support those players without losing the game’s core principles.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIn its September 24, 2026 announcement, Embark reported that 37% of players were friendly co-op players, 27% mixed players, and 34% pure PvP players. It also reported that more than 70% of friendly players and 40% of PvP players wanted fewer hostile encounters, and that 51% of the surveyed playerbase was interested in a dedicated PvE option. Embark did not state the sample size or methodology in the announcement, so these are studio-reported figures, not independently audited survey results. The announcement also says the studio weighs player data, feedback, and its own judgment.
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Is ARC Raiders getting a permanent PvE mode?
There is no confirmed permanent PvE mode or date for one. Embark says the matchmaking toggle will be removed after the limited test and matchmaking will return to normal. The studio plans to use feedback and data to inform future decisions and share plans and findings sometime after the test. It has warned that a future version, if it is made, could differ from this test; the test itself is not a promise of a permanent mode. Embark’s statement is the source for the schedule and its caveat about what follows.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Don’t confuse the PvE test with the October free trial
The PvE toggle test is separate from the Frozen Trail update and the four-day free trial reported for October 8–12, 2026, on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. Those dates come from GamesRadar’s report; neither the update nor the free trial is the October 13–20 PvE test.
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