ARC Raiders PvE Test Drew More Than 30 Million Rounds
NewsMarco Trevisani
On 20 October 2026, Embark said its limited-time PvE matchmaking toggle had ended, with more than 30 million PvE rounds played. On 3 November 2026, CEO Patrick Söderlund and executive producer Aleksander Grøndal told The Game Business that almost half of the rounds in the test used PvE servers. Neither source announces a permanent PvE mode.
- Embark Studios PvE Matchmaking Toggle Test
- The Game Business Interview with Söderlund and Grøndal
What Embark reported
Embark's 20 October 2026 post says the limited-time PvE matchmaking toggle test has ended, and thanks players who took part. The studio wrote that more than 30 million rounds of PvE were played over the testing period, and that it needs time to go through that data.
Embark called the early reading polarizing. It said a decision on what comes next would favor the health of the game, that the outcome of the analysis was not known yet, and that a fuller update should follow in November. The post also said a survey would go to a sample of players from 22 October 2026.
What Söderlund and Grøndal said
In Christopher Dring's 3 November 2026 interview, Grøndal said almost 50% of the rounds played during the test were on the PvE server. He said some players who had asked for PvE changed their minds, because it lacked some of what they valued in the game, and that others loved it.
Söderlund said, "We could just frankly add PvE. It's not a difficult thing to do." He described the earlier hesitation as not wanting to fiddle too much with the PvPvE core loop, where the studio believes the PvP side adds tension. After the test, he said, "We've now since tried it and realized that it's fine. Maybe people can choose what they like."
Grøndal said the team still has to work out how to meet those players without giving up the integrity of the experience.
Builds in the planner
Planner builds for PvE loot runs, solo raids and squad fights: