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Arc Raiders rats are cheating the matchmaking system by throwing themselves in front of friendly fire
PC Gamer reports that some Arc Raiders players are allegedly exploiting the game’s matchmaking system by deliberately stepping into teammates’ friendly fire. The tactic appears intended to manipulate player behaviour or matchmaking outcomes, and highlights how systems designed to discourage harmful play can be turned against cooperative teammates.
The article frames these players as “rats”, a term often used for opportunistic or disruptive players in extraction-style games. Its central concern is that deliberate friendly-fire incidents may penalise innocent players or distort matchmaking, potentially making ordinary team play less reliable until the issue is addressed.
In short
- Players allegedly exploit friendly fire to manipulate matchmaking.
- Innocent teammates may be penalised for deliberate incidents.
- The tactic could undermine cooperative play.
Explained simply
Arc Raiders is a cooperative video game where players team up to complete missions together. The game's matchmaking system is designed to connect compatible players and penalises those who harm their teammates.
Some players are allegedly exploiting this by deliberately stepping in front of teammates' gunfire—a situation known as "friendly fire." By taking damage this way, they apparently aim to trigger penalties against innocent players or distort how the system ranks them.
The issue matters because it unfairly harms legitimate players trying to cooperate and undermines confidence in the matchmaking system. When players cannot trust their teammates to behave sensibly, cooperative gameplay becomes less enjoyable and less reliable.