How to enter PvE lobbies in ARC Raiders

With the latest changes to the matchmaking system in ARC Raiders, you can no longer rely on the old trick of jumping into a match, saying “don’t shoot,” surrendering, and repeating the process over and over again. Now, every raid you play is analyzed by the system, and based on your interactions, it places you into raids with players who share similar behavior patterns.

So, does that mean that if you’re a fully PvP-focused player, you’ll never be able to get into friendlier lobbies again? The short answer is yes you still can.

But how exactly do you get into more PvE-oriented lobbies? In this guide, we’re going to show you how to make your raids feel a lot more friendly, so other players won’t instantly start shooting the second they spot a single pixel of your character.

You may be interested our Guide:

Your Playstyle Affects Your Matchmaking in ARC Raiders

As mentioned earlier, the new matchmaking system is heavily based on your behavior during your time in the Topside especially the way you interact with other Raiders, not just whether you pull the trigger or not. Matchmaking in ARC Raiders isn’t simply a system that separates players into PvE and PvP lobbies. Instead, it works more like a ladder that ranges from highly friendly to extremely aggressive, with plenty of gradual steps in between depending on your playstyle.

That doesn’t mean that being placed into friendlier lobbies completely removes the risk of getting stabbed in the back. Those situations can still happen because people aren’t 100% predictable, and sometimes all it takes is one bad day for even the friendliest Raider to turn against you.

That said, there is one important change that can work in your favor: defending yourself against a rat trying to shoot you in the back does not count as a PvP or aggressive action. The system treats it as self-defense, meaning it won’t negatively affect your playstyle profile or matchmaking behavior.

How to Get Into PvE Lobbies in ARC Raiders

It’s no longer possible to get matched with friendly players just by joining raids and repeatedly surrendering. That trick doesn’t affect the system anymore. Now, if you want to end up in more PvE-oriented lobbies, you’ll need to completely change the way you interact with other Raiders.

So what do you actually need to do? Basically, start acting more like support for the entire raid.

Don’t shoot. It sounds obvious, but it’s the most important rule. If you run into another Raider, talk to them, greet them, and if they shoot at you, don’t fire back. Most of the time they’ll probably kill you and that’s fine.
After a few attempts, or maybe even on your very first friendly encounter, try communicating with Raiders who don’t instantly shoot on sight. Offer them ammo, shield chargers, hatch keys, or bandages.
Try extracting alongside other Raiders, whether it’s through an elevator or a train extraction.
Carry 1 or 2 Defibrillators with you so you can revive downed Raiders and heal them afterward.
Don’t use the phrase “don’t shoot.” That line is completely burned out at this point, and most players will probably shoot you anyway because nobody trusts it anymore. A simple “hello” works much better.
Avoid Stella Montis and Bluegate during your first redemption raids, since those maps usually have far more PvP encounters.

Put all of this into practice, and you’ll gradually start running into less aggressive Raiders who are actually willing to help you out, making it much easier to farm materials peacefully during your raids.

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Recommended Loadout

Don’t bring high-value weapons or better yet, don’t bring any weapons at all if you truly want to play friendly. Carry only the essentials for survival: a light shield, a couple of bandages, some shield chargers, adrenaline shots, and a few useful items you can give away to other Raiders.

I highly recommend that if you’re a very PvP-focused player, you choose the Free Loadout for your first redemption raids. There’s a very high chance you’re going to die, so it’s better if those deaths don’t cost you anything. Just focus on clearing out ARCs, interacting peacefully with other Raiders, and trying to extract through an elevator or train before someone eventually takes you out.

Embark Studios Debunked Some Matchmaking Myths

One of the things the developers recently shared with the community was the clarification of several myths surrounding the matchmaking system in ARC Raiders, helping players better understand how it actually works.

Here are some of the biggest misconceptions they addressed:

There aren’t just two types of lobbies friendly and aggressive.
A single shot or kill will not instantly place you into “PvP-focused” lobbies.
Your loadout does not affect matchmaking.
Looting knocked-out players does not impact your matchmaking behavior.
Matchmaking is not based solely on the squad leader.