ARC Raiders PvE: Why Both Sides Should Give the Toggle a Chance

Who is the ARC Raiders PvE toggle for?

A player can enjoy both kinds of raid. In a thread asking how the beta would affect them, u/infinity_o described playing PvP with a friend:

I like to play in high-agro PVP in duos, and because of that I only play when my friend is available.

They added:

When I play solo I’ve always preferred PvE and just looting stuff.

That sounds like a useful option for someone whose friends aren't always online. They could spend an evening scavenging alone and still join their usual partner for fights another night.

u/FennelAlternative861 put a similar preference plainly:

Sometimes I want more chill co-op matches, others I wanna go to war.

Those are individual preferences, and they give us a better starting point than assuming every Raider has picked a side forever. A person who enjoys fighting can also want an evening without it.

The proposed toggle lets players switch between the two experiences. PvE sessions won't affect their PvPvE matchmaking rating, so time spent there won't reset their classic matchmaking history. Our PvE beta guide covers the rules and restrictions.

Why would a PvP player support it?

Some players want opponents who came looking for a fight. In the announcement discussion, u/Friendly_Maximum_649 explained why they welcomed the toggle:

As a 100% pvp player I have zero problem with this, more so I actually appreciate it, because it would make me fight people who actually want to be engaged in pvp.

It's easy to see the appeal. If you queue for combat, an opponent who's ready to fight may be more satisfying than someone trying to finish a quest and avoid you.

Another player, u/CWGM, expects the option to make them more willing to PvP. Their reasoning is that being able to recover in PvE after losing gear would make future fights easier to commit to.

That's their plan for the test. Whether enough players follow that pattern to affect classic lobbies is a question for the beta. It does show why support for PvE can come from someone who still wants to shoot other Raiders.

What happens to players who like mixed encounters?

They have the strongest reason to be cautious. A raid where you might fight one squad and help the next offers something different from choosing a queue with player damage disabled.

u/CrunchyBao described that concern:

As someone who likes the fluidity of interactions in this game - fighting someone one moment, making friends the next - I'm really disappointed that this is even being considered at all.

A friendly encounter means more to some players because either person could have opened fire. If enough cooperative players move to PvE, those moments might become harder to find in classic raids. Telling someone they can keep playing PvPvE doesn't answer their concern about who will be there with them.

The opposite claim, that friendly players already occupy completely separate lobbies, goes too far. Embark describes matchmaking as a continuous playstyle scale, with similar players more likely to meet but no guarantee. Our aggression-based matchmaking explainer covers the background.

Supporting the test means taking this objection seriously. Classic raids should still leave room for cooperation, hesitation and people changing their minds.

What would make the test worth keeping?

The useful question is whether players keep enjoying both experiences after the first few sessions. An initial rush to try a new option won't settle that.

For PvE, we'd want to know whether returning friends stick around and whether fighting ARC stays enjoyable once the novelty wears off. For classic raids, we'd want to know whether friendly encounters still happen and whether queues remain reasonable across regions and different times of day.

Loot also needs attention. A lower-value PvE haul could still be attractive if a player extracts more often. Comparing rewards means considering failed raids and time spent rebuilding gear, as well as what comes out of a single successful run.

The studio has already flagged matchmaking and the economy as things it will watch. Those findings should help decide what follows the beta. Players can help by describing actual sessions: who they played with, what happened, and what made them queue again or stop.

The Frozen Trail update gives returning players another reason to revisit the game. It'll be worth seeing who stays after trying the new content and the toggle.

Give the test its week. If PvE brings friends back while classic raids retain their unpredictable encounters, there's a case for keeping it. If classic play suffers, the people raising that concern deserve an answer before the feature becomes permanent.

PvE toggle FAQ

Does the beta replace classic PvPvE?

No. Players can choose the classic experience or PvE during the test. PvE disables player-to-player damage.

Will the toggle stay after October 20?

The announced plan is to remove it when the test ends. A permanent version hasn't been promised.

Does supporting PvE mean wanting PvP removed?

No. The linked comments include players who want to use both. Their reasons vary from solo scavenging to wanting different kinds of session with friends.

When the test starts, try the option that interests you and pay attention to how your usual raids feel too. Both experiences deserve useful feedback.