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.