Demystifying Matchmaking in Arc Raiders: 9 Myths Busted!

Arc Raiders is shaking things up in the gaming world, and you might be wondering about its unique matchmaking system. Are there really PvE-only lobbies? Will scoring even a single kill mark you as a hostile player? Fear not! Embark Studios has your back, addressing these burning questions in their latest blog post focused on matchmaking.

For the first time, the developers have dived deep into how their aggression-based matchmaking works. They emphasize that they don’t just categorize players as “friendly” or “aggressive.” Instead, they see it as a spectrum. According to them, “We consider various factors when forming a lobby, with playstyle being one of the most significant,” they shared. Most players fall somewhere between the extremes—some might be cautious until they feel threatened, while others can be quite unpredictable.

What’s really cool is that Embark is making it clear that their matchmaking system isn’t just about pairing you with players who play the same way you do. Instead, it aims to group you with others who are similar on that spectrum without making the game too predictable. They even illustrated how your behavior affects the types of players you’ll encounter, showing that you’re more likely to meet those who are just a notch above or below your aggression level.

But that’s not all! Embark has recently tweaked a couple of things based on player feedback: for starters, if you’re defending yourself, it’s now viewed differently than if you were the one starting a fight. This means cautious players won’t be unfairly categorized as aggressive anymore. Also, they’ve reduced the weight of rounds with little to no interaction—like just spawning or surrendering—so that your playstyle reflects how you genuinely play.

Additionally, the studio clarified some common misconceptions about matchmaking:

• Matchmaking is not just about two types of lobbies—friendly and aggressive. It’s a scale, with most players landing somewhere in the middle.
• A single kill doesn’t catapult you into “PvP-focused” lobbies. They analyze patterns over time, not just single actions.
• There are no dedicated PvE-only lobbies. While you might run into players with similar styles, there’s always a risk of being attacked.
• Your feedback after rounds doesn’t impact the matchmaking for your next game; it’s more about trends over time.
• Your loadout has no bearing on matchmaking. It’s all about how you engage with other players, not the gear you bring.
• Patches and updates won’t reset your matchmaking profile; your playstyle history remains intact across updates.
• Looting knocked-out players doesn’t change your matchmaking score, as it focuses on your interactions.
• All squad members influence the matchmaking profile, not just the leader.
• Switching crossplay on or off does affect matchmaking times but doesn’t set the tone for encounters.

So there you have it! A comprehensive rundown of how matchmaking works in Arc Raiders. While it may not completely erase the myths floating around, it does offer some clarity for players. Let’s see how this impacts our gameplay experiences moving forward!