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ARC Raiders Players Are Turning Friendly Fire Into a Matchmaking Loophole

Some players are reportedly stepping into other raiders' shots so the game treats the resulting fight as self-defense.

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ARC Raiders‘ matchmaking rules are creating an unpleasant opening for players who want to turn peaceful raids into ambushes. By deliberately stepping in front of another raider’s bullets, some players can make it look as though the other person fired first.

Embark Studios has spent the past several updates adjusting how the game sorts players into PvE-leaning and PvP-heavy lobbies. One earlier change began tracking behavior separately across solo, duo, and trio runs, while another tried to protect players who only fought back after being attacked. Those changes were meant to reduce mistaken matchmaking results, but they also gave bad actors a way to manipulate the system.

The self-defense rule can keep a player in a more peaceful lobby after they kill someone who started the fight. The problem is that a hostile raider does not necessarily have to pull the trigger first. They can move into the line of fire while another player is shooting at an ARC machine or using a weapon for an unrelated reason.

A Reddit post described one such encounter during a run against the Queen. The player said two raiders initially appeared friendly, offering healing and revives, before one repeatedly tried to jump in front of an Equalizer. The maneuver made it appear that the player had attacked first, giving the other raider an excuse to retaliate.

“I realised one kept trying to jump in front of my Equalizer,” the player wrote in a Reddit account of the encounter. The post also warned that players using the tactic could target runs involving the Queen and Matriarch, where a forced PvP encounter can put valuable loot at risk.

The same account said the raider then acted like the victim and directed other players toward the person they had tricked into firing. The player lost an Equalizer and a Bettina, but kept three Queen cores in their safe pocket. The bigger concern was that the tactic could become easier to repeat once more players understand how the matchmaking rules react to friendly fire.

This follows a series of matchmaking experiments from Embark. The studio recently tested a system that separates behavior by squad size, and its latest changes have also examined how defensive encounters affect a squad’s playstyle estimate. As the rules become more precise, players are finding new ways to test their limits.

For now, raiders may need to be more careful when firing near players who appear friendly, especially during Queen and Matriarch runs. A player who deliberately crosses into a shot can turn a defensive lobby into a dangerous fight without ever aiming first.

Have you run into players using this trick in ARC Raiders? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.

ARC Raiders is a multiplayer extraction adventure, set in a lethal future earth, ravaged by a mysterious mechanized threat known as ARC. Enlist as a Raider and scavenge the surface to thrive in a desolate world. But beware of the machines. Beware of Raiders preying on others.

ARC Raiders blends the tension from extraction shooters with atmospheric settings from the adventure genre. Lurking threats—from deadly machines to other Raiders—create a constant ebb and flow of intensity, where every moment is charged with the thrill of high stakes. Extract valuable loot and explore the unfolding mysteries of a vibrant, lethal world.

ARC Raiders supports seamless social play across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Play with your squad and thrive as a team, or rise in the ranks as a lone ranger.