Embark Studios CEO Patrick Soderlund confirmed Arc Raiders now uses aggression-based matchmaking, addressing months of community speculation. The system, introduced approximately one week ago, groups players based on their PvP versus PvE tendencies after accounting for skill level and party size.
Arc Raiders, Steam's top-selling game by revenue during the December 23-30 holiday week, has faced ongoing debates about player behavior since its launch. The extraction shooter's PvPvE design creates tension through unpredictable human encounters, but casual players complained about facing aggressive "sweatlords" who shoot on sight.
"Obviously first it's skill-based of course," Soderlund told Games Beat during a live-play interview. "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."
The CEO directly confirmed the system represents what players call "aggression-based matchmaking." Players who frequently engage in PvP combat now face similarly aggressive opponents, while those preferring cooperative PvE content encounter more peaceful lobbies.
Community testing suggests the system creates distinct gameplay environments. Content creators observed PvE-focused matches featuring proximity chat cooperation and mutual revives, while aggressive lobbies experienced immediate firefights after raid initiation.
The matchmaking hierarchy prioritizes skill first, then party composition, before considering aggression levels. This layered approach aims to maintain competitive balance while separating playstyles that previously clashed in Arc Raiders' tense extraction scenarios.
Embark Studios art director Robert Sammelin hinted at behavioral tracking in December 2025, noting player behavior factors into the "complex" matchmaking process. The system reportedly requires significantly more friendly matches to escape aggressive categorization than it takes to enter it.
Soderlund acknowledged limitations, stating "obviously it's not a full science." The exact metrics determining aggression remain undisclosed to prevent system manipulation, though likely factors include first-strike frequency, shots fired near extraction zones, and defensive versus offensive positioning.
Arc Raiders' implementation marks a novel approach for extraction shooters, traditionally reliant on unpredictable player encounters. The 2025 hit, which won MMORPG.com's Best Multiplayer Shooter award, continues evolving its matchmaking to accommodate its growing, diverse player base.
The aggression-based system represents Embark's response to community feedback about casual versus hardcore player conflicts. As the game expands, such matchmaking refinements aim to preserve the tension that defines extraction shooters while reducing frustrating mismatches between playstyles.
