ARC Raiders PvE Toggle Explained: Test Dates, Rules and What Changes

ARC Raiders' PvE matchmaking toggle was a one-week beta: it ran from 13 October 2026 at 11:00 CEST to 20 October at 11:00 CEST, according to Embark Studios, and it has now ended. Embark says more than 30 million PvE rounds were played and expects to follow up with next steps in November. During the test, switching it on queued you into servers with zero player-to-player damage, lower loot value and a few major map conditions removed; the toggle has since been removed and matchmaking is back to normal.

This guide is built on Embark's two official posts about the test (the 24 September announcement and the 12 October rules update), checked on 13 October 2026 and re-checked on 23 October against Embark's 20 October wrap-up post and Store Update 2.2.0, plus Steam store data read on 13 October. We have not played the PvE servers: where Embark hasn't said something, we say so rather than guess.

When does the ARC Raiders PvE test start and end?

Embark gives a single global window in Central European Summer Time. Both dates fall before the clocks change in Europe (25 October) and North America (1 November), so the local times are the same at the start and at the end.

Embark's posts describe the test for ARC Raiders as a whole and do not limit it to a single platform, and neither mentions a sign-up: both describe a matchmaking toggle that lets you switch between PvE and the standard PvPvE mode during the test window.

What changes on PvE servers?

The maps, ARC machines, quests and extraction loop stay the same. What Embark changes is how Raiders interact with each other and how much the loot is worth. The 12 October post lists the rules in full:

Two details are easy to miss. First, Embark has not published how much lower PvE loot value is, only that it is lowered; anyone quoting a percentage is guessing. Second, because squad separation is not prioritised, a solo player in PvE should expect to run into duos and trios far more often than in normal matchmaking. With no damage between players, that is a social change rather than a threat.

Which map conditions are excluded from PvE?

Embark keeps its highest-tension conditions PvPvE-only, because they are built around not knowing what other players will do. The list grew by one between the two posts: Redirection, a map condition added in the Frozen Trail 2.0 update on 8 October, was added to the exclusions in the 12 October rules.

The Pendola Pass map itself is not on either list, so the new map from Frozen Trail can be explored in PvE. The Frigate, its airborne high-risk encounter, cannot: if you want to board it this week, you will be doing it with other Raiders who can shoot you.

How does being downed work in PvE?

This is the one place where PvE is harsher than you might expect. Embark says ARC enemies may re-acquire downed players, a change it made to keep some tension without a human threat. In the 12 October rules it added a precise number: for eight seconds after you go down, ARC will not target you; after that, they may attack if they catch you moving.

Does PvE affect PvP matchmaking or the economy?

Embark says your PvPvE matchmaking rating is not affected by PvE sessions, and that standard matchmaking keeps running in PvPvE so it can measure how the toggle changes those lobbies before touching anything else. It also flags two risks it is watching: friendly players already extract more often and earn more, which is why PvE loot is lowered and PvPvE baseline loot is nudged up; and queue times may rise in low-population regions or quiet hours if many players switch to PvE.

Why is Embark testing a PvE mode now?

Embark's own player data, published in the September post, is the clearest answer. It splits the population by preferred playstyle and reports that the friendly group has grown since launch while the PvP group has stayed flat:

Embark also says over 70% of friendly players, and 40% of PvP players, want fewer hostile encounters. The community reaction was loud in both directions: the announcement thread on r/ArcRaiders had 3,794 upvotes and 2,867 comments when we checked on 13 October, with players split between welcoming the option and worrying it will drain tension from PvPvE. Rock Paper Shotgun noted that Bungie is also working on a PvE mode for Marathon, so ARC Raiders is not alone in testing this.

Is the PvE mode permanent?

No, not at this stage. The toggle was removed when the test ended on 20 October, and Embark has never promised a permanent PvE mode. In its wrap-up post it said more than 30 million PvE rounds were played, that a surface reading of the reaction looks polarising, and that any decision will put the overall health of the game first. A survey goes to a representative sample of players from 22 October, and Embark expects to share more in November.

Can you still try the PvE toggle?

Not any more: the toggle closed on 20 October. If you missed it, Embark's wrap-up lists two ways to have a say: the PvE-test-feedback channel on its Discord, and a player survey that goes to a representative sample of players from 22 October rather than to everyone. During the test, PvE was the lower-risk way to learn Pendola Pass, work through quests or try new gadgets such as the grappling hook, at the cost of lower loot.

If you don't own the game yet, the timing is convenient: on 13 October ARC Raiders on Steam cost $19.99 instead of $39.99 (50% off), with 81.6% positive reviews out of 423,998 and 49,437 players in game at 08:05 UTC.

What changed after the PvE test ended?

Embark closed the test on schedule and published a wrap-up post on 20 October. It shares one number, more than 30 million PvE rounds, and no win rates, loot figures or player split. The studio says it needs time to analyse the data and expects to follow up in November, so any claim about a permanent PvE mode before then is speculation.

The same day, Store Update 2.2.0 went live. It adds no PvE options. The changes most likely to matter to players who tried the toggle: ARC Turbines now spawn in almost every session on Buried City, Riven Tides, Blue Gate and Spaceport, the quest To the Skies can be finished on any map, and Feats in the Reward Pass were added, removed and rebalanced.

What to read next

For the numbers behind the current surge, read how Frozen Trail pushed ARC Raiders to 166,670 Steam players and its part in Steam's 43.5 million concurrent user record. If you are weighing up the Premium track, our Reward Pass guide explains what it costs and what it gives back. Everything else we publish on the game lives on our ARC Raiders hub, and we will update this guide when Embark shares the results of the test.