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ARC Raiders Will Test PvE From Oct. 13 to 20 Without Promising a Permanent Mode

The October trial will collect data rather than promise a permanent mode, with Raider-on-Raider damage disabled in exchange for lower-value loot and fewer available map conditions.

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ARC Raiders Will Test PvE From Oct. 13 to 20 Without Promising a Permanent Mode

ARC Raiders will run a limited PvE matchmaking test from October 13 through 20, 2026. Before queueing, players can use a toggle to choose PvE or the usual PvPvE raids. Embark is treating the weeklong test as data collection, not a promise that the option will become permanent.

Embark tested a PvE-focused map condition in China in July. The October trial brings a PvE queue to the Western game for a limited window.

PvE raids will prevent Raiders from damaging one another or taking damage from other Raiders, but the safer queue comes with lower-value loot. Night Raid, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate, and Frigate will also be unavailable. Frigate is due to arrive with Frozen Trail.

ARC enemies will handle downed Raiders differently, too. In regular PvPvE raids, they ignore players who have been downed. During the PvE test, crawling while downed will draw ARC enemies back in, while staying still will keep them from attacking. Moving can end the run and send the Raider back to Speranza.

An Embark survey found 51% of respondents interested in a dedicated PvE option. A 2025 Newzoo report put free-to-play PvE revenue at $113 billion, compared with $30 billion for premium games over a year. The survey describes its respondents, not the entire ARC Raiders player base, and the revenue figures compare free-to-play PvE with premium games rather than PvE with PvP.

PvP offers the competition and unpredictability of human opponents. PvE gives players room to focus on AI threats and cooperation, with less risk from other Raiders. Lower-value loot and unavailable map conditions make clear that the test is not simply the same raid without player combat. Offering both options could serve different preferences without making either one a threat to the other.

Bungie’s plans for Marathon take a similar approach. Permanent PvE and experimental Team Deathmatch are planned for December 8, followed by a March 2027 update intended to connect PvE, PvP, and PvEvP experiences.

Would lower-value loot feel like a fair trade for raids without Raider-on-Raider combat, given that ARC enemies remain a threat? Follow the test’s mode rules and Bungie’s planned mix of PvE, PvP, and PvEvP on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

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.