To play PvE in ARC Raiders, install Update 2.1, then switch on the PvE matchmaking toggle before you deploy: with it on, you only join servers where raiders cannot damage each other. The toggle only exists during Embark Studios’ PvE Toggle Beta, which runs from October 13 at 5:00 AM ET to October 20 at 5:00 AM ET, and Embark removes it when the test ends.
That one switch changes more than player damage. Loot value drops, throwables stop working on people, some of the biggest map conditions are locked out, and the downed rules for ARC are new. Below we cover the exact test window, how to turn the toggle on, why it sometimes is not there, and everything Embark says changes in a PvE raid, plus what players are reporting from the first day.
When the PvE Test Runs
Embark set the dates in September and confirmed the exact times in its pre-test post on the official site:
- Starts: October 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM ET (11:00 CEST, 2:00 AM PT, 09:00 UTC).
- Ends: October 20, 2026 at 5:00 AM ET, the same time a week later.
- Platforms: every version of the game. The free weekend that came with Frozen Trail ended on October 12, so you need to own ARC Raiders to take part.
Embark’s Store Update 2.1.0 post on Steam says Update 2.1 “marks the start of the PvE toggle Beta Test,” so the toggle arrives with that patch. When the week is over, the toggle is removed and matchmaking goes back to normal. Embark has been blunt about the future in its original announcement: “This test is not a promise that there will be a PvE mode in the future,” and any later version “could look very different.” Our news story on the announcement covers why Embark is running the test at all.
Step-by-Step: How to Turn On PvE Mode
- Update the game to 2.1. Restart ARC Raiders and let the update download before you launch. Embark shipped 2.1 alongside the Carrion Set in the store and a long list of fixes, including Grappling Hook and Pendola Pass traversal improvements.
- Head to the pre-raid screen and pick your map. Embark has not published a screenshot walkthrough of the menu, but early player reports put the toggle on the pre-raid screen where you choose a destination and start matchmaking.
- Flip the PvE toggle on. Embark calls it the “PvE matchmaking toggle,” and it switches you between the standard PvPvE experience and the new PvE servers.
- Queue as normal, solo or with your squad. Solos, duos and trios all share PvE sessions, and Embark says squad separation will not be prioritized, so you will meet groups of different sizes more often than usual.
- Switch back whenever you like. Embark says it designed the system for “seamless switching,” so you can go back to PvPvE for your next raid without restarting anything.
Why the PvE Toggle Is Missing
If you cannot find or select PvE, it is almost always one of these:
- You are on an excluded map condition. Per Embark’s October 12 post, “certain major map conditions will not offer PvE as an option including Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate, and Redirection.” Redirection was added to the list late; our rules update story has the details. Note the word “including”: treat any other major condition as possibly excluded too. Pick a destination without one of these conditions running.
- You have not installed 2.1. The toggle ships with that update.
- The test window is closed. Before 5:00 AM ET on October 13 and after 5:00 AM ET on October 20, there is no toggle.
- Long queue, not a missing toggle. Embark warns that matchmaking times may be affected in low-population regions and during quiet hours. Early forum reports say PvE queues have been quick, but late nights in smaller regions are where you will notice it.
What Changes in PvE Servers
Everything in this list comes from Embark’s two official posts, verified against the October 12 rules:
- Zero player-to-player damage. Other raiders cannot shoot you, and you cannot shoot them.
- Throwables do not affect players. Stun and fire items will not work on other raiders. They still work on ARC.
- Physical items still work. Barricades, ziplines and other physical interaction items are unaffected.
- Lower loot value. Overall loot value in PvE servers is lowered. To balance that, Embark said in September that PvPvE sessions get “slightly higher baseline loot values” during the test.
- New downed rules. ARC may re-acquire downed players, but there is an eight-second grace period after you go down in which ARC will not target you. After that, they may attack if they catch you moving.
- Your PvPvE rating is safe. Embark says your PvPvE matchmaking rating “will not be affected” by PvE sessions.
- Quests still count. The September announcement pitches PvE as a way to “scavenge, complete quests, and explore with less risk.”
- PvPvE matchmaking does not change. Standard matchmaking keeps running in PvPvE sessions so Embark can measure how the toggle affects them.
What Players Are Reporting From Day One
These are early reports from players on Embark’s Steam forum, not official statements, so expect some of them to shift over the week:
- Progression is shared. Players say PvE and PvPvE use the same raider, stash and progression during the test, which is why some PvP players are asking Embark to separate them.
- Loot still runs out. Several players say high-value spots get stripped in the first ten minutes or so of a PvE raid, because nobody is slowed down by fear of other raiders. Late joins into a partly looted map are a common complaint.
- Loot value is debated. Some players say they still find blueprints and epic items; others say their raids felt thin. Embark’s line is simply that overall value is lower.
- “Safe” is not the same as friendly. A few players claim they have lured ARC onto other raiders with lure grenades and barricades. Player damage is off, but ARC damage is not.
Tips for Your PvE Week
- Build for ARC, not raiders. With no players to fight, spend your loadout on gear that kills or controls ARC. Stun and fire throwables still work on machines.
- Stay still once you are downed. Use the eight-second grace period to get somewhere safe if you can, then stop crawling. Embark’s rule is that ARC may attack if they catch you moving after that window.
- Use the week for projects. A raid with no player risk is the easiest time to work through Frozen Trail goals, such as unlocking the Outpost, which needs a photo of a farmland house and a delivery of building materials.
- Keep playing PvPvE too. Embark has asked PvP players to keep queuing so it can see how the toggle affects standard lobbies, and those lobbies now come with permanent cheater bans.
- Fill in the survey. Embark says it will send a survey after the test, and that the feedback and in-game data will decide “if the toggle becomes a permanent part of the game.”
If you are still deciding whether to spend Raider Tokens this season, our breakdown of the premium Reward Pass explains what it costs and what it pays back.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the ARC Raiders PvE test end? On October 20, 2026 at 5:00 AM ET (11:00 CEST). Embark removes the toggle when the test closes and matchmaking returns to normal.
Is PvE mode in ARC Raiders permanent? Not yet. Embark calls this a beta test and says it “is not a promise that there will be a PvE mode in the future.” The post-test survey and the data from this week decide what happens next.
Can other players hurt you in PvE mode? Not directly. There is zero player-to-player damage, and stun and fire throwables do not affect other raiders. You still compete with them for loot, and some players report luring ARC toward others.
Why is PvE not available on Night Raid? Night Raid is one of the major map conditions Embark excluded, along with Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection. Choose a destination without one of those conditions active.
Does playing PvE affect your PvPvE matchmaking? No. Embark says your PvPvE matchmaking rating will not be affected by PvE sessions.
Can solo players end up with trios in PvE? Yes. Solos, duos and trios share PvE sessions, and squad separation is not prioritized, so mixed group sizes are normal during the test.