Embark quietly added aggression-based matchmaking to Arc Raiders — here’s why it matters

Why this change actually matters for Arc Raiders players

This caught my attention because Arc Raiders is one of those rare multiplayer games that lives or dies on a single, brutal question: can you trust the people you meet in a raid? Embark Studios CEO Patrick Söderlund has confirmed that the studio quietly rolled out an aggression-based matchmaking system, so the answer is now a little less random. For players who prefer co-op PvE over constant backstabs, this is a meaningful quality-of-life shift. For the thrill-seekers who enjoy stabbing a teammate at extraction, it’s a reminder that the meta around player behavior is changing.

• Arc Raiders now layers aggression-based matchmaking on top of skill-based matching and squad-size options (solos, duos, trios).
• The system is new and imperfect – Embark describes it as “not a full science,” but it’s explicitly designed to reduce unwanted PvP while keeping the game’s core PvPvE tension.
• This change is a reaction to the game’s scale and community feedback, not a philosophical pivot away from PvP.

Breaking down the announcement

In an interview with GamesBeat’s Dean Takahashi, Söderlund explained the matchmaking order plainly: “Obviously, first it’s skill-based, of course. Then you have solos, duos, and trios. And then also, since a week ago or so, we introduced a system where we also matchmake based on how prone you are to PvP or PvE.” He later agreed with Takahashi’s phrasing that this is essentially “aggression-based matchmaking.” The detail that this landed only in the last week suggests Embark pushed the change live in response to growing community chatter and the matchmaking strain that comes with larger playerbases.

Why now: context from the developer and the community

Embark has always been vocal about the importance of PvP pressure to Arc Raiders’ identity – the extraction shooter’s tension depends on the constant possibility of betrayal. Söderlund has long balanced that design thesis with practical matchmaking concerns: when a live game scales up, matchmaking becomes not just about skill parity but about mixing playstyles. The result here is pragmatic: keep the core PvPvE DNA but reduce the number of matches ruined by players who just want to grief.

From an industry perspective, this is part of a broader trend where live-service teams add behavioral signals into matchmaking. Embark isn’t trying to neuter PvP – Söderlund explicitly says the system won’t remove threats entirely. Instead, they’re nudging players toward lobbies that match their average behavior. That’s the important distinction: this is behavioral smoothing, not hard segregation.

What this means for players — the practical side

For players who avoid PvP and value cooperative clears, expect fewer surprise betrayals on average. For habitual aggressors, the system could mean facing more like-minded players and therefore finding more opportunities for the kind of drama that makes extraction shooters viral. There are some obvious edge cases and potential exploits: players could intentionally play nice to get into PvE pools and then betray teams to farm loot, or alternately, some might game aggression metrics for placement advantages. Embark’s comment that it’s “not a full science” is a candid acknowledgment that behavior metrics are messy.

Technically, aggression matching probably tracks things like initiations, friendly fire incidents, and PvP win rates, but Embark hasn’t published those specifics. That opacity is normal — revealing the exact metrics would give exploiters a roadmap. What matters to players is outcomes: more consistent matches for those who want them, and a realistic chance of PvP for those who crave it.

Looking ahead

This update signals that Embark is listening and willing to tweak live systems to protect player experience without abandoning the game’s core tension. It’s also a test case: if aggression-based matchmaking meaningfully improves retention among PvE-leaning players without hollowing out the PvP ecosystem, other live shooters will take notes. If it’s too heavy-handed, it risks creating echo chambers where players only see one side of the game.

TL;DR

Embark has quietly added aggression-based matchmaking to Arc Raiders, stacking behavior on top of skill and squad-size filters. It’s meant to reduce griefing for PvE-focused players while keeping the PvPvE stakes intact — useful, imperfect, and worth watching as the system matures.