ARC Raiders PvE Rats and Loot Goblins: Why Players Are Fed Up
PvE players report loot rushing and revive interference. John Raider, Reddit and our Facebook readers discuss the frustration, teamwork and ideas for fairer rewards.
ARC Raiders players are complaining about PvE rats and loot goblins who wait for someone else to open a room or beat a machine, then rush in for the loot. Other reports describe players disrupting revives or trapping Raiders. These accounts come from the beta's shared sessions, where damage from other Raiders is disabled.
John Raider's video looks at the frustration and asks what needs to change. Reddit accounts and replies to our Facebook post show why some players are annoyed, while others still value the teamwork enough to keep playing.
October 16, 2026 | Player accounts from the October PvE beta. Experiences differ within the same discussions.
Key takeaways
- PvE disables player-to-player damage. Shared loot and some physical interactions still create friction.
- Players report key-room rushing, people waiting around ARC kills and deliberate revive interference.
- Other Raiders describe asking before entering rooms, sharing blueprints and enjoying well-equipped ARC fights.
- Possible fixes include key-holder priority, rewards for useful participation and protection during player interactions. These are proposals.
John Raider on PvE griefing and loot goblins
In PvE Players Thought They Were Safe in ARC Raiders... What Went Wrong?, John Raider discusses griefing from 1:07 and participation-based rewards from 7:17.
His point about rewards deserves attention: a player keeping teammates alive should count when the loot is handed out. Giving everything to whoever deals the most damage could create another competition inside a mode intended for cooperation.
Video and commentary: John Raider. The mechanics he discusses are player reports and observations; his suggested changes are proposals.
What are players calling PvE rats and loot goblins?
The loot-goblin complaint is usually about someone taking rewards after other people spend the ammo or a key. In a reply to u/Addwolves' October 14 post, u/JimiusRostock describes their experience:
“I thought PvE would be cool. But it's just a lot of loot goblins hanging around my kills.”
That is a complaint about who benefits from the fight. Deliberately stopping a revive or blocking someone inside a shelter adds another problem: someone is interfering with the player's ability to survive.
The word “rat” gets used for both. For feedback to be useful, describe what happened. Being beaten to a drawer, losing an ARC drop and being repeatedly prevented from reviving call for different responses.
Who gets the loot when someone else spends the key?
u/HornetLife2058 says they checked the area, used a key and then watched six other Raiders rush into the room. Their October 14 post captures the frustration:
“Usually I don’t mind sharing but this was like a flash mob of looters.”
They say they plan to use their keys in the regular mode instead. A cooperative queue gives someone less reason to share when they pay the entry cost and come away feeling pushed out of the reward.
The replies also describe better encounters. u/Monstermeekah says nobody entered their rooms without asking, and that they invited people in and shared blueprints they already knew. u/Berry-Bakes reports several games without key-room trouble.
A short priority window for the key-holder and their squad could address the cost of opening a room. It would also need an easy way to invite strangers in. Sharing should remain a choice people can make.
Revive interference goes further than grabbing loot
In an October 14 account, u/Ikkou97 says a fall at Spaceport left them downed, another Raider repeatedly interfered with attempts to revive them, and ARC eventually finished them off. They report losing a Tempest and a Jupiter.
Replying to that account, u/GhostNagaRed writes:
“It always feels like the effort these players go to for free loot is more than what it takes to just build/buy it.”
John Raider also raises reports of blocked shelter exits and Bull Rush interrupting looting. Those deserve attention as interaction problems, alongside the question of how rewards are shared.
A stranger may be out of defibs or unable to reach you safely. Refusing a rescue alone says little about their intent. Actively obstructing the people trying to help is a much clearer reason for a complaint.
The official PvE rules disable player damage, including stun and fire throwables against players, while leaving items such as barricades and ziplines unaffected. ARC cannot acquire a newly downed Raider for eight seconds; afterward, moving can draw another attack. That timer is an acquisition grace period, not blanket invulnerability.
Our Facebook readers are dealing with it, too
On our first-day reactions post, Tyrel Hammer says they returned with coworkers and have enjoyed playing again. They acknowledge people taking loot from their kills and still prefer that to being shot while fighting ARC.
Mathieu Michel Hachey says they move to another objective when people wait outside a room they have a key for:
“The teamwork and interaction is just so worth it”
That is a choice to avoid the dispute, with the cost falling on the person carrying the key. It also shows why complaints about loot goblins do not automatically mean someone wants PvE removed.
Bryce Menge makes that preference clear:
“Goblins and griefers aside it’s still way better than pvpve. I hope it becomes a permanent option for finishing quests. I’ve had a great time.”
Reward the help, too
Participation-based rewards are worth testing, as John Raider suggests. Damage is easy to notice. Reviving a teammate or protecting someone during a reload can be just as useful to the group.
Personal rewards could remove the scramble to reach a defeated ARC first. Giving every participant a full set of drops would also put more items into circulation, so the rewards would need tuning. A limited priority window would preserve shared physical loot, but deciding who qualifies would still matter.
For interference, protecting an active revive or loot interaction would target the complaint more directly than changing every movement mechanic. Any change would need checking for new ways to block doors or trap people.
Embark's current enforcement policy covers exploit abuse and abusive behaviour or harassment. It does not establish an automatic punishment for every disputed loot grab. A clip showing repeated interference gives a report more context than calling someone a rat.
Some players are still having a good time
In another October 14 post, u/exus666 says most people in their solo sessions have been fine, and that they enjoy bringing valuable gear to fight ARC. They also report less loot competition later in their own raids. That is their experience, rather than a guaranteed quiet period.
u/Msizzler replies that they and two friends went in fully equipped and enjoyed fighting ARC without worrying about other players. Those accounts fit the cooperative experience people wanted from the toggle.
Our first-day PvE reactions covered returning players and early loot complaints. This week's reports give the debate over keeping the option more specific questions to answer: who gets rewarded, and how can players interfere with each other?
There is a good version of shared PvE in these accounts. Players asking before entering a room and handing over spare blueprints are already showing it. The rules should make those encounters easier to have.
PvE rats and loot goblins FAQ
Does PvE stop other Raiders from damaging you?
Yes, under the announced beta rules. That protection does not stop ARC from hurting you or guarantee cooperation from other players.
Are participation rewards or key-holder priority confirmed?
No. They are proposed ways to address the shared-loot complaints, not announced features.
When can players give feedback on the test?
The beta ends October 20 at 11:00 CEST, or 5 a.m. Eastern. Embark plans a survey afterward and says player feedback and game data will help shape what happens next.
Have loot goblins spoiled a raid, or have strangers been sharing and helping? Describe the encounter in the community forum, including what you would change.
Sources checked October 16: Embark's October 12 PvE rules, September 24 beta announcement and current Ban and Enforcement Policy; four r/ArcRaiders threads and replies; John Raider's video; reader comments on our Facebook first-day reactions post. Facebook's supplied view used Most relevant, so replies may be filtered. Reddit dates use Eastern time. Hero artwork is an original fan illustration.