Arc Raiders developer confirms it recently added aggression-based matchmaking, but “it’s not a complete science”
Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios has confirmed one of the community’s biggest questions since the game’s release: it does indeed feature “aggression-based matchmaking.”
This means that if you like PvP, you will be matched against like-minded players. Likewise, if you prefer PvE, you will be matched with players who tend to avoid conflict with other players.
Arc Raiders’ player versus environment versus player gameplay has resulted in a number of viral clips showing how friendly encounters can quickly turn into a fight to the finish. Yes, you can play solo or in groups of up to three, working as a team to progress through the game. However, other players pose a constant threat. This sparked a heated debate within the community over the etiquette that has formed in the game, with a retired professional player going viral for relentlessly killing casual Arc Raiders players.
It turns out that Arc Raiders will rely on your playstyle when it comes to matchmaking. This “aggression-based matchmaking” isn’t an exact science, however, Embark Studios CEO Patrick Söderlund told Games Beat in a recent interview/video playthrough of the game.
“Obviously it’s skill-based first,” Söderlund said of Arc Raiders matchmaking. “Then you have solos, duos and trios. And then, as of about a week ago, we also introduced a system where we also make matches based on your propensity for PvP or PvE. So if you prefer to do PvE and you have less conflict with players… you will have more matches. [with similar players]. This is obviously not a science in its own right.
Söderlund said the term “aggression-based matchmaking” is “exactly” the system Arc Raiders currently uses. This puts to bed high-level questions about how Arc Raiders matchmaking works for the community, which has been wondering about it in recent months. “I can finally stop chatting on Reddit, thanks for the justification,” said one player.
However, it’s worth noting that Söderlund confirmed that Arc Raiders prioritizes matchmaking “skills” and then groupings. Aggression-based matchmaking is a factor, but we don’t know how much influence it has on your lobbies compared to other factors. And even Söderlund admitted that it doesn’t always work the way you might think.
And how, exactly, does Arc Raiders determine whether you’re “prone” to PvE or PvP? If you’re a player who kills on sight, of course, you’re probably prone to PvP. But what if you only shot back at those who shot you first? Does this make your lobbies more aggressive? If so, is it fair?
So one big question has been answered, but many more remain. As for Embark Studios, they always hoped that Arc Raiders would have tension between the two gameplay styles. Arc Raiders is a multiplayer mining adventure in which players scavenge the remains of a devastated world, but the main threats are Arc’s machines and, as Embark Studios puts it, “the unpredictable choices of the other survivors.”
Wesley is news director at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
