Games

Embark Confirms Arc Raiders Uses Aggression Matchmaking

Krishn patel

04 Jan 2026 — 2 min read

Aggression Matchmaking

Key Takeaways:
Embark Studios confirms Arc Raiders now uses aggression-based matchmaking (often called ABMM) in addition to skill and party size.
CEO Patrick Söderlund said the system, added a week before the interview, matches players by how likely they are to engage in PvP or PvE.
The feature won’t remove conflict entirely; Embark still values the persistent threat of PvP in this PvPvE extraction shooter.

What Embark announced

Patrick Söderlund, CEO of Embark Studios, told GamesBeat reporter Dean Takahashi that Arc Raiders has introduced matchmaking that accounts for player aggression. Söderlund described it as an addition layered on top of standard skill-based matching and party-size rules.

He said the change is recent—deployed about a week before the interview—and aims to group players who prefer PvP encounters with other aggressive players, and those who favor PvE with more cooperative lobbies.

How the aggression-based system works

Söderlund explained the matchmaking flow: skill is still the primary factor, followed by solo/duo/trio party composition, and now a matchmaking filter based on PvP vs. PvE tendency. The system attempts to infer how “prone” a player is to engage other raiders and uses that signal when forming lobbies.

The studio admits the approach is not perfect and called it "not a full science," but useful for reducing mismatched expectations in lobbies. The intent is to reduce frustration when players seeking co-op are repeatedly betrayed, and conversely to place thrill-seeking players where PvP is more likely.

Watch the interview clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY3u7wOmm4w

Why Embark added ABMM

Arc Raiders is a PvPvE extraction shooter where the social tension—teaming and possible betrayal—is a core mechanic. As the player base grew, diversity in player behavior became more apparent and sometimes problematic.

Söderlund framed ABMM as a response to that growth: matchmaking now helps manage different playstyles so that new and returning players encounter more predictable experiences aligned with their preferences.

What players should expect

The system won’t eliminate all PvP surprise attacks—Embark stresses the importance of the ever-present risk in Arc Raiders’ design. Players who repeatedly act aggressively may find themselves matched more often with like-minded raiders, while more cooperative players should see fewer hostile encounters.

This update signals Embark’s willingness to iterate on social systems to balance player expectations and preserve the game’s core tension between cooperation and conflict.

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