“We need to understand what the need is here” – Arc Raiders studio still undecided about the future of PvE despite a seemingly successful test
Embark has not decided whether to make Arc Raiders’ PvE mode a permanent feature, despite generally favourable feedback from its first test. Executive producer Aleksander Grøndal said the studio is reviewing the results and needs to work out how a PvE option could serve players without weakening the game’s central premise.
Arc Raiders began development as a cooperative PvE shooter before becoming an extraction game that combines player-versus-environment and player-versus-player action. Grøndal said the studio is considering whether PvE should be a relaxed side mode, an AI challenge or a complete separate experience. Its latest update, Frozen Trail, also brought player numbers to their highest point in six months.
In short
- Embark is still assessing the PvE test.
- The studio is weighing several possible formats.
- Frozen Trail lifted player numbers to a six-month high.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A permanent PvE mode could give players who prefer co-operative play or a more relaxed pace a way to enjoy Arc Raiders, while drawing on the game’s original cooperative concept. The favourable test feedback and recent rise in player numbers may suggest there is an audience worth serving, and a distinct mode could broaden the game’s appeal.
The case against
Arc Raiders is built around the tension between environmental threats and encounters with other players, so a permanent PvE option could weaken the experience the studio set out to create. Before committing resources or dividing the player base, Embark has reason to establish what players want and whether a separate mode could meet that need without disrupting the central game.
Explained simply
Arc Raiders is an online shooter from Embark Studios, set in a world where players face hostile machines called ARC. It began as a cooperative game, with players working together against computer-controlled enemies, before evolving into an extraction game.
In an extraction game, players enter a dangerous area to gather equipment and try to get out safely. Arc Raiders combines fights against computer-controlled enemies with the possibility of encountering and fighting other players, which shapes how risky each trip can be.
A PvE mode would let players focus on enemies controlled by the game rather than fighting other people. The question matters because a quieter option could suit players looking for a different kind of challenge, while changing how the game’s current mix of cooperation and competition works.