One of the big problems that has always plagued games like Arc Raiders is that, after a while, it becomes a kill-on-sight fest where everyone forgoes the emergent improv in favour of hiding in bushes and shooting anyone who wanders by. It’s a big reason why I lost interest in DayZ; in a matter of months, interactions with strangers went from bizarre scenarios like being kidnapped in a bell tower only to die in the crossfire of a misguided rescue mission to trigger-happy players firing off rounds the second you say hello. Every. single. time.—just go play PUBG!
Thankfully, Embark has found a solution: matchmaking. It sounds obvious, but games like DayZ connect you to other players via server browser, meaning that anyone can join any game, making it impossible to filter by skill or other qualities. Arc Raiders doesn’t have that problem, so, in a recent update, Embark implemented a new filter to combat rampant KoS – playstyle. If you kill on sight a lot, you’ll be paired with other people who kill on sight a lot.
“Obviously, first it’s skill-based, of course,” Embark CEO Patrick Söderlund said in an interview with GamesBeat (via PCGamesN). “Then you have solos, duos, and trios. And then also, since a week ago or so, we introduced a system where we also matchmake based on how prone you are to PvP or PvE.”
“As The Game Has Gotten Big, That’s A Problem”
Players have long theorised that this was the case, even conducting experiments to prove it. And while it’s a somewhat controversial method for trapping the more aggressive raiders among themselves, others argue that it’s a “nice middle ground” which avoids splitting the community down the middle into strictly PvE and PvP modes.
As Söderlund explained, it’s not an exact science, so the system will undoubtedly be tweaked over time as Embark figures out what works. After all, it would be dull if you never encountered a PvP player. Sure, it’s frustrating when everyone you see is trigger-happy, but you still need the odd cutthroat to keep you on your toes.
“We knew from the beginning that we were going to get some,” Söderlund said, presumably meaning the aggressive players. “Especially as the game has gotten big, that’s a problem.”
You were probably imagining it in the early days, but now, it’s a reality – Arc Raiders will pair you with players of a similar tact. So, if you don’t want to be put in lobbies full of bloodthirsty murderers, don’t be a bloodthirsty murderer. Well, not all the time at least.
- Released
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October 30, 2025
- ESRB
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Teen / Violence, Blood
- Developer(s)
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Embark Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Embark Studios
