Embark Studios is taking another look at the future of PvE in ARC Raiders after its recent PvE test attracted significant player interest. In an interview with The Game Business, studio leadership discussed why the game originally focused on PVP, what the test revealed, and how the team is now evaluating player feedback. For players following the game's progression and ARC Raiders Items economy, this discussion could also shape how future gameplay options develop.
The most notable detail is that nearly 50% of the rounds played during the PvE test took place on PvE servers. That result gives Embark a reason to reconsider its earlier assumptions, but it does not confirm that a permanent PvE mode is coming. The challenge is finding a way to support different player preferences without weakening the tension that defines ARC Raiders.
Nearly 50% of the rounds played during the PvE test took place on PvE servers. However, this result does not confirm that a permanent PvE mode is coming.
What Did Embark Reveal About ARC Raiders PvE
Patrick Söderlund and Alexander Grøndal discussed the game's development direction in their interview with The Game Business. Among several topics, including development speed and the studio's future projects, the PvE discussion stood out because it addressed a long-running question within the community.
Embark originally considered PvP an important part of the ARC Raiders experience. The team believed that encounters with other players created emotional tension that could not easily be reproduced through AI enemies alone. A Raider might enter a location looking for materials, encounter another squad, and suddenly have to decide whether to fight, negotiate, hide, or abandon the planned route.
The recent PvE test gave the developers an opportunity to examine what happens when that player-driven threat is removed. The test allowed players to experience raids without the usual PvP elements, giving Embark a clearer picture of how a different audience might approach the game.
The developers acknowledged that adding a PvE option was not necessarily a major technical obstacle. Their original hesitation was more about protecting the intended gameplay experience. Now that the team has tested the alternative, it is reviewing the results rather than dismissing the idea outright.
Why Was Embark Initially Reluctant to Add PvE
The original concern was not simply about whether PvE could work. It was about what ARC Raiders might lose if PvP stopped being part of the core loop.
In a PVP extraction game, ARC machines are only one source of danger. Other Raiders introduce unpredictable encounters, competing objectives, and the possibility of losing valuable equipment to another player. Even a quiet trip through a familiar location can become a high-pressure situation when another squad appears.
Pure PvE changes that balance. Players can concentrate on ARC enemies, exploration, resource collection, and extraction without constantly evaluating the intentions of other Raiders.
Neither approach is automatically better. They create different experiences:
| Gameplay element | PVP | Pure PvE |
|---|---|---|
| Main threats | ARC enemies and other players | Primarily ARC enemies |
| Encounter uncertainty | Includes unpredictable player behavior | More focused on enemy AI and environmental risks |
| Looting decisions | Must account for possible player interference | Can focus more on resources and objectives |
| Combat pressure | Comes from both PvE and PvP encounters | Depends more heavily on ARC encounters |
| Player interaction | Can include cooperation, conflict, or betrayal | Removes direct PvP conflict |
From a design perspective, the important question is whether both experiences can coexist without making either one feel incomplete. Embark's comments suggest that this is now a central part of its evaluation.
What Does the 50% PvE Test Result Actually Mean
The nearly 50% figure is the most interesting piece of information from the interview. It indicates that PvE servers accounted for a substantial share of the rounds played during the test. This figure was discussed by Embark's leadership in The Game Business interview.
For Embark, this is a meaningful signal. Players who previously had limited interest in the standard PVP experience were willing to return and try a different version of the game. It also suggests that the demand for a less competitive raid environment deserves serious attention.
However, we should be careful about interpreting the number.
A share of total rounds is not the same as the percentage of unique players who prefer PvE. One player can complete several raids, and the available figure does not tell us how many participants would continue playing the mode over several months.
There is another interesting detail from the developers' comments: some players who initially wanted PvE changed their minds after trying it. Removing PvP also removed part of the experience they valued. Others, however, genuinely enjoyed the alternative.
This is why the test matters beyond its participation numbers. It gave Embark evidence that the community is not divided into two completely fixed groups. Player preferences can depend on how a mode actually feels rather than how it sounds in a discussion.
Can ARC Raiders Support PvE Without Losing Its Identity
This is likely to be the hardest design problem if Embark decides to expand the PvE experience.
A separate PvE mode would give players more control over how they approach raids. It could make exploration and resource collection more comfortable, particularly for players who enjoy the world and its enemy encounters but do not want constant PvP pressure.
However, simply disabling player combat may not be enough to create a satisfying long-term mode.
The development team would need to consider several connected systems:
- Enemy difficulty: ARC encounters may need to provide enough pressure when there are no hostile Raiders.
- Loot balance: Reward values should reflect the different risks involved in each mode.
- Progression: Players should have a clear understanding of whether PvE and PVP share progression.
- Extraction pressure: Removing player threats could change how players approach extraction points and manage their remaining resources.
- Long-term engagement: PvE needs enough variety and challenge to remain interesting after players become familiar with enemy behavior.
These are design considerations, not confirmed Embark plans. The interview does not establish that the studio has approved separate reward systems, different enemy tuning, or permanent PvE matchmaking.
Our view is that keeping both experiences available could be a reasonable direction, provided each mode has a clear purpose. PVP should retain its unpredictable player encounters, while PvE should offer a challenging alternative rather than simply becoming an easier version with fewer threats.
Does Embark Plan to Move Beyond Live Service Games
The interview also touched on a broader question about Embark's future. Söderlund explained that the studio does not want to become a live service developer exclusively.
ARC Raiders and The Finals give Embark experience operating ongoing multiplayer games, but the studio still wants to create new projects and explore different ideas. Söderlund described continuous development and experimentation as important parts of the company's identity.
That ambition is understandable, although balancing it with two live service games is not simple. Both titles require ongoing development, maintenance, player support, and new content. A smaller studio must carefully manage its people and resources when it tries to operate existing games while developing something new.
This context is relevant to ARC Raiders because long-term development depends on more than player demand. The studio also needs to decide how its resources should be distributed between existing content, potential new modes, and future projects.
It would be premature to assume that Embark's broader ambitions will reduce ARC Raiders support. The interview establishes the studio's desire to pursue new creative work, not a confirmed change to the game's development schedule.
Summary
Embark's latest comments make it clear that the studio is taking the PvE discussion more seriously than before. The recent test showed substantial interest, with nearly half of the recorded rounds taking place on PvE servers. Just as importantly, it revealed that player preferences are more complicated than a simple choice between PvP and PvE.
The studio still wants to protect the identity of ARC Raiders, and that means any future PvE option would need to fit the game's broader progression, combat, and extraction systems. Players looking to prepare their loadouts and keep up with the game's wider, cheap ARC Raiders Coins market can continue following its evolving economy, but neither the interview nor the test confirms a permanent PvE release.
For now, the most accurate conclusion is that Embark is reviewing the data and considering how to meet different player needs. A permanent PvE mode remains a possibility, not an announced feature.
FAQ
Is ARC Raiders getting a permanent PvE mode?
Embark has not confirmed a permanent PvE mode. The studio has tested a PvE experience and is reviewing player feedback and participation data, but no release date or permanent implementation has been announced in the interview.
What percentage of ARC Raiders test rounds were PvE?
Nearly 50% of the rounds during the PvE test took place on PvE servers, according to the developers' interview. This figure refers to rounds played, not necessarily the percentage of unique players who prefer PvE.
Why did Embark originally avoid adding PvE?
The studio was concerned that removing PvP would weaken the tension and unpredictable encounters that define ARC Raiders. The team wanted to preserve the emotional impact of its PVP gameplay loop.
Does PvE mean ARC Raiders will remove PvP?
No. The interview does not suggest that Embark plans to replace the existing PVP experience. The discussion focuses on evaluating additional player options while preserving the game's core identity.
Could PvE have different rewards or progression?
That remains unknown. Separate rewards, enemy difficulty adjustments, and shared progression are all possible design considerations, but Embark has not confirmed how these systems would work.
When will Embark announce the next PvE update?
No specific announcement date was provided in the interview. Players should wait for official Embark announcements rather than treating the test results as confirmation of an upcoming release.
