The week-long experiment that split the ARC Raiders community is over. Embark Studios' PvE matchmaking toggle test closed on the morning of Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and on the same day the studio shipped Store Update 2.2.0, which adds the Wreck Set to the store and a long list of fixes touching ARC behavior, the Frigate, the Grappling Hook, map spawns and quests.
If you missed the test entirely, our Update 2.1.0 guide covers how the toggle worked during the October 13 to 20 window. This guide picks up from there: what Embark has said now that the test is finished, what the data point it shared tells us, what is actually in 2.2.0, and which changes will affect your next raid. Everything below comes from Embark's own posts: the Store Update 2.2.0 notes, the October 20 post PvE Matchmaking Toggle Test: Thanks for taking part!, and Executive Producer Aleks' September 24 explainer We're testing a PvE Toggle: here's what it means for you. Times are in Central Time (CDT, UTC-5), and where we add our own read on a change, we say so.
Is the ARC Raiders PvE Mode Gone?
For now, yes. The PvE matchmaking toggle was always billed as a limited test, scheduled to run from October 13 at 11:00 CEST to October 20 at 11:00 CEST, which is 4:00 AM CT on Tuesday, October 20. Aleks' September post was explicit that when the test ended, the toggle would be removed and matchmaking would return to normal. Embark's October 20 post confirms the test "has ended."
So if you log in today, you are back in the standard PvPvE extraction experience. Other Raiders can shoot you again, stun and fire throwables affect players again, and the Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection conditions that were excluded from PvE are simply part of the normal rotation.
That does not mean PvE is dead. Embark has not said yes or no to a permanent option. It has said it needs time with the data, and that it expects to share more in November.
30 Million PvE Rounds: What Embark Shared About the Test
The headline number from Embark's wrap-up post is that more than 30 million rounds of PvE were played during the testing period. Embark calls that "a huge amount of information to analyze," and says it needs "a short period of time to dive into the numbers and draw out the insights."
The studio also admits the obvious. "On a surface reading, we know that the test has been polarizing," the post says, and Embark adds that its decision on how to proceed "will prioritize the overall health and enjoyability of the game."
To put the 30 million figure in context, it helps to look back at why Embark ran the test. In September, Aleks shared how the studio sees its player base split by preferred playstyle:
Our read: those numbers explain both why the toggle got so much use and why the reaction is split. A large and growing group plays ARC Raiders mainly for the co-op and the machines, and the toggle gave them exactly that. At the same time, a third of the community plays for player fights, and the September post itself flagged the risk that PvE could drain some of the tension the game was built around. A big round count proves people wanted to try it. It does not by itself prove the standard mode stayed healthy, which is why Embark is asking how PvPvE changed during the week too.
How to Give Feedback on the PvE Test
Embark wants more than raw numbers. It is asking three specific questions in its wrap-up post:
- How did PvE differ from your normal experience?
- What could be improved?
- How did the typical PvPvE experience change during the test?
- Discord: post in the dedicated PvE feedback channel on the official ARC Raiders Discord.
- Survey: starting October 22, Embark will send a survey to a representative sample of ARC Raiders players. Not everyone gets one, so keep an eye on your inbox and fill it in if it arrives.
When Will Embark Decide on PvE in ARC Raiders?
Embark's answer is November. The wrap-up says the studio does not "yet know what the outcome of the data analysis will be," but expects "to be able to follow up with further information in November."
It is worth keeping the September expectations in mind while you wait. Aleks wrote that the test "is not a promise that there will be a PvE mode in the future," while also describing it as a sign Embark is "seriously considering it." He also said any future version "could look very different" from what players saw in the beta. So even if PvE returns, do not assume it will come back with the same rules, such as zero player damage, reduced loot value, or ARC re-acquiring downed players after a grace period.
What's in ARC Raiders Update 2.2.0
Embark describes 2.2 as rolling out with the Wreck Set and "a number of fixes," and reminds players to restart the game to download it. The notes do not list the Wreck Set's individual pieces, so check the in-game store for what it contains. The rest of the update breaks down into a handful of areas that will matter in raids.
ARC Changes: Hydra and Slide Tracking
Two ARC fixes change how fights feel:
- Slide tracking: certain ARC were more accurate than intended against sliding players. Their aim now correctly accounts for sliding targets. If you have been eating shots mid-slide that felt like they should have missed, this is the fix.
- Hydra: its weapons were not spreading across different targets as often as intended. Embark fixed the targeting and increased base damage to compensate, "ensuring its overall threat level remains competitive." It also fixed the Hydra struggling to hit close-range targets.
Embark also notes that ARC now react to Gondola Transceivers being interacted with, so expect attention when you work on those.
ARC Turbine Spawns and Map Changes
The map changes are the ones farmers will notice first.
- ARC Turbines now spawn far more consistently in Buried City, Riven Tides, Blue Gate and Spaceport. In sessions where they previously only had a chance of spawning, they should now appear in "an overwhelming majority of, if not all, sessions."
- Dam Battlegrounds: ARC Turbines are removed from standard sessions and most minor map conditions. In the conditions where they remain, they should now spawn nearly every time.
- Pendola Pass: enemy presence increased slightly, plus fixes for players getting stuck in the Fallen Emperor and other terrain spots, lighting and reflection improvements across weather, and a fix for a Ballistic Gondola path through the Secure Communications Mast.
- Stella Montis: improved lighting and reflections across time-of-day scenarios.
- Emperor: boundaries adjusted to stop players clipping out of bounds, and compaction killbox coverage fixed.
Frigate, Grappling Hook and Movement Fixes
Frigate
The Frigate gets several fixes that will matter to anyone who rides cargo down:
- You can no longer be ejected from cargo while it is falling from the Frigate.
- Riding on the side of a Frigate cargo drop no longer risks an instant knockout. Crushing now only applies at the landing point and to riders inside.
- Raiders riding a cargo drop no longer get burned during descent. Thruster heat only affects areas near landing.
- Memory fixes in the Frigate interior and cargo hold target rare crashes, and the Frigate entry sequence is optimized.
Grappling Hook
The Grappling Hook gets better at the things it was built for:
- Rappelling to the ground feels better.
- Auto-vaulting from the hook is more reliable, with better wall detection on steep slopes.
- Rope entry near the ground is smoother: climbing continues briefly when you start from the ground, your velocity toward the rope carries into the climb, and attaching on a steep slope enters the wall-climb state.
- Swapping to a weapon right after a throw no longer breaks weapon animations, and the throw animation now follows your up and down aim.
Wall Running
One movement change will catch people out on day one. Jumping off the wall during a Wall Run now requires holding backward. Embark says this is to stop accidental jump-offs. If your muscle memory sends you hopping off walls by accident, this helps. If you relied on a quick jump-off without pulling back, you will need to relearn the input. Wall climbing can also now transition straight into ladders and ziplines.
Quest, Reward Pass and UI Changes
- "To the Skies" can now be completed on any map regardless of where you made progress. You only need to finish the installation in one location.
- "Belly of the Beast" optional objective now requires the correct item described in the objective text.
- Reward Pass Feats rebalance: Embark added new Feats, removed some and rebalanced others for smoother progression.
- Expedition Vault: the tab and its related offer have been removed from the UI.
- Skill Tree: tooltips now show how many levels a skill has, and "Add Skill Point" now reads "Spend Point."
- Weapon Bench: the button for amplified weapons now reads "Amplify" instead of "Ascend."
- Outpost: your Raider is hidden while inspecting or decorating furniture, the decorate camera now rotates with the left mouse button, and a broken Workshop screen bug is fixed.
- Items: Tether Launchers can be repaired in-round again, and the Geometric Fabric Chair Design blueprint is now granted after you consume it.
Known Issues in ARC Raiders 2.2.0
Embark lists several issues still in the game. The quest ones are the most important to plan around:
- Extracting with partial progress on "To The Skies" may leave the quest impossible to complete.
- In "When Everything Falls", some objectives such as "Photograph Port A" may not complete for some players.
- If you lose or sell quest items, such as the Equatorial Sundial needed for "Clean Hands," the quest may become impossible to finish.
- Some Xbox players may see instability or crashes.
- You can still die after entering the Ballistic Gondola if you are downed and very close to being knocked out.
- The Grappling Hook can, rarely, launch you upward at high speed, and it cannot be thrown inside the Matriarch's shield.
- The Raider Tool shows the default skin even with other skins equipped, and ARC Reclaimers can occasionally fail to dock on the Frigate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PvE still available in ARC Raiders?
No. The PvE matchmaking toggle test ended on October 20, 2026 at 11:00 CEST, which is 4:00 AM CT, and the toggle was removed. Matchmaking is back to the standard PvPvE experience until Embark announces otherwise.
Will ARC Raiders get a permanent PvE mode?
Embark has not decided. The studio says it needs time to analyze the test data and community feedback and expects to share more information in November. It has also said the test was not a promise of a future PvE mode.
How many people played the ARC Raiders PvE test?
Embark has not shared a player count. It said more than 30 million rounds of PvE were played during the October 13 to 20 test period.
How do I give feedback on the ARC Raiders PvE test?
Post in the dedicated PvE feedback channel on the official ARC Raiders Discord. Embark is also sending a survey to a representative sample of players starting October 22, so check your inbox.
What is new in ARC Raiders Update 2.2.0?
Update 2.2.0 adds the Wreck Set to the store and fixes ARC targeting, the Hydra's weapon spread, Frigate cargo drops, Grappling Hook behavior, map stability and several quests. It also makes ARC Turbines spawn much more consistently on four maps and removes them from standard Dam Battlegrounds sessions.
Where do ARC Turbines spawn after Update 2.2?
They now spawn in an overwhelming majority of sessions, if not all, in Buried City, Riven Tides, Blue Gate and Spaceport. They were removed from standard Dam Battlegrounds sessions and most minor conditions there.
Was the Hydra nerfed or buffed in ARC Raiders 2.2?
Both, in a sense. Its weapons now spread across multiple targets as intended, which can lower pressure on any single Raider in a group, but its base damage was increased to compensate and its close-range accuracy was fixed.
Why can't I jump off walls during a Wall Run anymore?
You can, but as of Update 2.2 you have to hold backward while jumping. Embark changed the input to stop players from triggering the jump-off by accident.
How do I download ARC Raiders Update 2.2?
Embark says to restart your game to download the update. If it does not appear, fully close the game and your platform launcher, then start it again.
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