ARC Raiders Update 2.1.0: PvE Toggle Beta Test (Oct 13-20), Carrion Set and Full Patch Notes

ARC Raiders Update 2.1.0 is live, and it starts the most talked-about experiment Embark has run since launch: a PvE matchmaking toggle. For one week, from Tuesday October 13 to Tuesday October 20, you can choose between the normal PvPvE extraction game and PvE servers where Raiders cannot hurt each other at all. Alongside the toggle, the update adds the Carrion Set to the store and ships a long list of fixes, many of them aimed at bugs Embark flagged as known issues when Frozen Trail launched on October 8.

Everything in this guide comes from Embark's own posts: the Store Update 2.1.0 notes, the October 12 post PvE Toggle Beta Test: October 13-20, and Executive Producer Aleks' September 24 explainer, We're testing a PvE Toggle: here's what it means for you. Times are converted to Central Time (CDT, UTC-5). Where we add our own read on what a change means, we say so.

When Does the ARC Raiders PvE Toggle Beta Start and End?

Embark's October 12 post gives exact times: the test runs from October 13 at 11:00 CEST to October 20 at 11:00 CEST. In Central Time that is:

• Start: Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 4:00 AM CT
• End: Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 4:00 AM CT

The official ARC Raiders account on X announced Update 2.1 as live at about 4:04 AM CT on October 13, so the toggle and the patch arrived together. When the week is over, Embark says the toggle will be removed and matchmaking goes back to normal. This is a limited test, not a new permanent mode, at least for now.

How the PvE Toggle Works

The toggle lets you switch between the standard PvPvE experience and new PvE servers. Aleks' September post says the system is designed for "seamless switching," so you can play a relaxed PvE session and then flip back to PvPvE for a high-tension raid. Here is what changes between the two, using only what Embark has published:

Zero player damage, but physical items still work

PvE servers have zero player-to-player damage. Embark's October 12 post spells out what that means for throwables: stun and fire items will not work on other players. Physical interaction items like barricades and ziplines are unaffected, so they still work the way they do in PvPvE. Expect to share ziplines and run into barricades you did not place.

Map conditions left out of the test

Some major map conditions will not offer PvE as an option. The October 12 list is:

• Night Raid
• Locked Gate
• Hidden Bunker
• Frigate
• Redirection

Aleks' September post named four of these and explained why: they are designed with higher tension in mind and rely on the uncertainty of meeting a variety of players. Redirection was added to the list in the October 12 post. If you were hoping to run Frigate cargo in peace, that is not part of this test.

ARC can re-acquire you when you are downed

Embark did not want PvE to be tension-free. When you are downed in PvE, there is an eight second grace period in which ARC will not target you. After that, ARC may attack if they catch you moving. The September post adds that ARC will ignore you if you stay still. So in PvE, a downed Raider should hold still and wait for a revive instead of crawling to cover.

Mixed squad sizes

Solos, Duos and Trios share the same PvE sessions. The October 12 post adds that squad separation will not be prioritized, so groups of different sizes will run into each other more often. For solo players that is mostly good news in PvE, since meeting a Trio no longer means a fight.

Loot, Economy and Matchmaking Rules During the Beta

Embark put the most care into explaining these rules, because they decide whether the test ends up hurting the main game.

Loot value is lower in PvE and slightly higher in PvPvE

The overall loot value in PvE servers is lowered to compensate for the relative safety. Embark's data says friendly players already extract more often and earn more value, so during the test PvPvE sessions get slightly higher baseline loot values. Embark did not publish exact percentages for either change, so any specific number you see online is not from Embark.

Your PvPvE matchmaking rating is safe

Aleks' post says your PvPvE matchmaking rating will not be affected while you play in PvE sessions. The October 12 post adds that standard matchmaking continues to apply in PvPvE sessions, so Embark can collect clean data on how the toggle affects PvPvE before making any bigger matchmaking changes.

Queue times could rise in some regions

Embark expects that matchmaking times may go up in low-population regions and during quiet hours. It also says that depending on how many players try PvE, the quality of some PvPvE sessions could be affected, and that it will watch this closely and adjust as needed.

Why Embark Is Testing PvE Now

The September 24 post is unusually open about the reasoning. Aleks writes that ARC Raiders was first conceived seven years ago as a raid-based PvE co-op game with looting, which Embark eventually reset into the PvPvE extraction game players have now. After launch, Embark found that a lot of the audience were not extraction shooter fans at all, and the game became what Aleks calls the "Extraction (Don't) Shooter."

Embark says it bases big decisions on three things: data, player feedback and gut feel. Here is the player breakdown it shared:

Embark also points to clear friction: friendly players often try to avoid PvP entirely, and some groups are frustrated with ratting and camping. The post's conclusion is that a large and growing group of Raiders come for co-op and the ARC rather than fights with other Raiders, and Embark wants to support them properly "rather than leave them working around the game."

Aleks is just as clear about the risk. Embark has been hesitant to go back to its original PvE idea, and a toggle could reduce some of the tension the game was built around. The post frames the test as respecting that players have different needs than the studio first imagined.

What Decides Whether the PvE Toggle Becomes Permanent

The 2.1.0 notes say your feedback, along with in-game data, will help Embark decide whether the toggle becomes a permanent part of the game. Embark's posts add a few expectations:

• It is possible this will not work. The test is not a promise of a future PvE mode, but Embark says it is "seriously considering it."
• A future version could look very different from what you play this week.
• The test is not about making PvE harder or trying new PvE progression. It is about offering an alternative to PvP encounters.
• After the test ends, Embark will send out a survey for more detailed feedback.
• Embark plans to share findings and future plans "sometime after the test." No date is given.

Embark also asks PvPvE-only players to keep playing and report how, if at all, the toggle changes their experience. Both sides of the community are being asked for data, not just PvE fans.

Early Community Reaction

Embark's own wording admits the announcement "sparked both excitement and skepticism." The first hours after launch showed both:

• The fan account @ArcRaiderAlerts shared a clip, credited to Reddit user u/SixthSacrifice, with the caption that people are using PvE mode "to practice PvP." It is a joke about the zero-damage rule, but it shows players poking at the mode's limits right away.
• News account @ArcRaidersNow posted "ARC RAIDERS PVE MODE IS FINALLY LIVE!" shortly after the patch went out, which drew more than 1,500 likes by mid-morning CT.
• In replies across X, opinions split the way you would expect. @Angry_Old_GenZ called the PvE mode "my saving grace," while @bloodbathtuna wrote that "pve mode ruins the true arc raiders experience" and said they were glad Embark lowered the PvE loot value.

That split is what Embark expected. The survey after October 20 will be the main formal channel for opinions, so if you have a strong view either way, playing both modes this week gives your feedback more weight.

The Carrion Set

The 2.1.0 notes say the Carrion Set is available in the store, and Embark's X post leads with it alongside the toggle. The notes do not list the set's pieces or its price, so we are not guessing at either. Check the in-game store for what is in the set and what it costs before you spend Raider Tokens.

Update 2.1.0 Patch Notes: Frozen Trail Known Issues Now Fixed

Several fixes in 2.1.0 line up directly with known issues Embark listed in the Frozen Trail 2.0 notes on October 8. This table pairs the two using Embark's wording from each post:

Full Update 2.1.0 Fix List

The rest of the notes, grouped the same way Embark groups them.

ARC

• Frigate hatches now inflict burning damage over time when they open.
• Collision on Frigate cargo was smoothed so you no longer get stuck on curved surfaces.
• The Frigate cargo drop was adjusted to prevent unintended knockouts.
• Fixed unintended interactions between throwables and certain doors on the Emperor.

The burning hatches are the one real gameplay change here. Standing next to an opening Frigate hatch now costs you health over time, so give it space.

Gameplay and skills

• Broad Shoulders now activates on spawn. Before, it could stop you from sprinting even when you were within the higher carry limit. Inventory weight now updates correctly after loading in.
• Field Repair now works right after you unlock it, even if you already played a round that session. No restart needed.
• Fixed violent camera shake when another player or vegetation came between you and the camera while firing.
• Fixed weight values being calculated wrong right after loading into a round.
• Fight or Flight no longer bypasses the penalty from Sprinting on Fumes.
• Stamina-restoring consumables can no longer be used while the Sprinting on Fumes cooldown is active.
• Mobile-Fire Grip Fittings now correctly require Skulker Targeters to research instead of Skulker Drivers.

Embark explains the Sprinting on Fumes change directly: the penalty after the ability ends was one of its key balance levers, and items that skipped that penalty broke the risk of using the skill. If your build relied on chugging stamina items or Fight or Flight to dodge the Fumes penalty, that is over.

Grappling Hook

• Easier vaulting onto ledges and roofs with the Grappling Hook, especially on Pendola Pass. Auto-vault triggers more reliably at the top of rope climbs, and ending a swing on walkable ground is more consistent.
• Fixed several issues with swinging from objects too light to hold your weight.
• Fixed the hook detaching from fast-moving objects like the Ballistic Gondola during lift-off.
• The rope now wraps around geometry while the hook is in flight.
• Grappling Hooks and Tether Launchers now release when you are downed by fall damage.
• Grappling Hooks and Tether Launchers at 0 durability are now broken instead of destroyed.

The last fix is a quiet but meaningful one. A broken gadget can be repaired; a destroyed one is gone.

Maps

• Spawns during Frigate rounds were adjusted so you do not start too far from the action.
• Better vaulting and traversal on rocky terrain, with less sliding after climbing.
• Fixed tunnel props disappearing when viewed from above.
• Better lighting and reflections in Frigate areas and on Dam Battlegrounds, to reduce visual artifacts and improve performance.
• Shelter doors no longer squeeze players when opened, with more space next to the door.
• Several collision, clipping, gap and stuck-spot fixes across maps.

Pendola Pass gets its own list:

• Fixed players being eliminated inside the Gondola while extracting.
• Terrain and collision polish, fewer gaps and stuck spots, less pop-in, and blocked unintended areas.
• Fixed a Railyard spot where you could not jump or auto step up.
• Corrected footstep and impact sounds on station canopies, and better VFX culling so effects no longer show through surfaces.
• Interior snow no longer clips into buildings.
• Night lighting is darker with reduced visibility.
• Frigate cargo drop points on Pendola Pass were moved to improve access and prevent clipping.

The Gondola extraction fix is the headline for anyone who lost a full bag in the last week. The darker night lighting is a deliberate tension change, and Night Raid is one of the conditions excluded from PvE anyway.

Quests

• Fixed quest progress bars showing wrong in Speranza.
• Visiting loot-icon areas on Pendola Pass now counts for "Picking Up the Pieces."
• The "Sizing Things Up" cinematic now plays after you complete the quest.

Performance, UI and progression

• Lower memory use for better stability on Spaceport, Buried City and Dam Battlegrounds, with particular benefits on Xbox Series S.
• Gondola markers are now visible on the compass and map from 175 meters, up from 120.
• Better ping placement on the Skulker and Bully at long range.
• In the Weapon Amplification tree, hovering an upgrade highlights the path to that node unless it is blocked.
• Fixed spectating sometimes not showing squadmates' HUD info, which made it look like they had no Shield.
• New indicator and seen-state tracking for weapon stencils in customization.
• Reward Pass: fixed progress not counting correctly, with the end-of-round screen no longer counting milestones from earlier rounds. The completion screen, tile and details screen were also cleaned up, and the details screen now shows the active pass name.
• Outpost: installed module recipes no longer stay in the tracker, the Outpost tab now gets an orange indicator when a project step is complete, and leaving Customization or decorating no longer leaves the view out of focus or sends you back to the base room.
• Skill Tree: Field Salvaging now shows the right items after unlocking mid-session, camera movement no longer locks if Field Salvaging or Field Repair is interrupted, and end-of-round weight now reflects skills like Reduced Weapon Encumbrance and Max Carry Weight.

Cosmetics, audio, animation and weapons

• The missing Zenith Outfit toggles go to all players who have completed their fifth Expedition.
• Equipped weapon stencils now show their rarity in the tooltip.
• Outdoor footsteps are quieter and more balanced across surfaces.
• Melee hits on weak points now have clearer visual and audio feedback.
• The Cowboy emote has sound effects, plus several smaller audio tweaks.
• Fixed character models sometimes appearing enlarged.
• Character animations now have a short cooldown before swapping sides on repeated shoulder swaps.
• The Hairpin's Semi-Auto Amplification now correctly deals reduced headshot damage.

How to Spend the PvE Beta Week

This is our advice, based on Embark's rules above.

Use PvE to learn Pendola Pass. The new map is a week old, and PvE lets you learn routes, Dynamic Loot Zones, Gondola lines and Grappling Hook spots without third parties. Just remember PvE loot is worth less, so it is a scouting tool, not a farm.

Run quests in PvE. Embark says PvE players can scavenge, complete quests and explore in relative safety. If a quest objective has been stuck behind a contested spot, this week is the time.

Keep playing PvPvE too. PvPvE baseline loot is slightly higher during the test, your PvPvE rating is untouched by PvE games, and Embark wants data from both modes. Excluded conditions like Frigate and Night Raid still need PvPvE anyway.

Stay still when downed in PvE. After the eight second grace period, ARC can target you if you move.

Note the end time. The toggle goes away on October 20 at 4:00 AM CT. Do not count on finishing a PvE session that morning.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the ARC Raiders PvE toggle beta test run?

It runs from October 13 at 11:00 CEST to October 20 at 11:00 CEST, which is Tuesday October 13 at 4:00 AM CT to Tuesday October 20 at 4:00 AM CT. Update 2.1.0 started the test.

Is the PvE toggle permanent?

No. Embark says the toggle will be removed when the test ends and matchmaking will return to normal. Feedback and in-game data will decide whether it comes back, and Embark says the test is not a promise of a future PvE mode.

Can players damage each other in ARC Raiders PvE mode?

No. PvE servers have zero player-to-player damage, and stun and fire throwables do not work on other players. Barricades and ziplines still work normally.

Which map conditions are excluded from PvE?

Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection do not offer PvE. Embark says these conditions are built around the tension of meeting other players.

Is loot worse in PvE?

Yes. Embark lowered overall loot value on PvE servers. To balance the economy during the test, PvPvE sessions get slightly higher baseline loot values. Embark has not published exact numbers for either change.

Does playing PvE affect my PvPvE matchmaking rating?

No. Embark says your PvPvE matchmaking rating will not be affected by PvE sessions, and standard matchmaking continues in PvPvE.

What happens if I get downed in PvE?

You get an eight second grace period where ARC will not target you. After that, ARC may attack if they see you moving. Embark says ARC will ignore you if you stay still.

What is the Carrion Set in ARC Raiders?

The Carrion Set is a new cosmetic set that Update 2.1.0 added to the store. Embark's notes do not list its contents or price, so check the in-game store for details.

Was the Gondola extraction death bug fixed?

Yes. Update 2.1.0 fixed an issue where players could be eliminated while inside the Gondola and extracting on Pendola Pass. It also fixed the Grappling Hook detaching from the Ballistic Gondola during lift-off.

Will Embark ask for feedback after the PvE test?

Yes. Embark says it will send out a survey after the test ends, and it plans to share findings and future plans sometime after that. No date has been given.

Final Take

Update 2.1.0 is two things at once. On one side it is a cleanup patch that fixes many of Frozen Trail's most annoying launch problems, from Gondola extraction deaths to Field Repair needing a restart to the Sprinting on Fumes workaround. On the other it is a week-long experiment with what ARC Raiders could become, run by a studio that says out loud it may not keep it.

Try both modes before October 20 at 4:00 AM CT, then fill out the survey. Embark has said that what players tell it this week will shape what happens next.