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ARC Raiders matchmaking is now looking harder for better lobbies

Embark warned that solo, duo, and trio queues may take longer while the game weighs player behavior and squad size.

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ARC Raiders has begun testing a matchmaking update designed to create better-fitting raids, though Embark warned that finding a lobby may take longer than before.

The developer explained the change in an official Steam announcement, saying the revised algorithm will examine player behavior across solo, duo, and trio queues. That means the way someone plays alone can be treated separately from how they behave with a squad.

“One thing to note: the algorithm may take a little longer to find a match, since it’s now working harder to find you a better one,” Embark said.

The goal is to place players with others who have a similar approach to the game and the same squad format. A player who takes aggressive fights in solo raids may not be treated the same way when playing as part of a coordinated team.

Embark also acknowledged that the longer searches could be more noticeable during low-population hours, in certain regions, or under specific map conditions. The studio said there is still room to improve those cases.

The matchmaking changes reflect the tension at the center of ARC Raiders. Even a raid that is mostly focused on fighting ARC machines can still include a player looking for PvP, which keeps every encounter uncertain. Better matchmaking may make some lobbies feel more consistent, but it will not remove that possibility entirely.

For now, players may need to accept extra time in the queue while Embark collects results from the test and works on speeding up searches without losing the quality improvements.

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