Arc Raiders matchmaking isn't 'binary', says design lead

Arc Raiders' matchmaking considers how players approach PvP, and that choice has been a contentious topic. Some players want friendly encounters while others prefer violent play, and Embark's solution has been to separate the playstyles, at least somewhat. In a recent interview design director Virgil Watkins said the studio won't explain the algorithm to avoid enabling manipulation, and that the comms team is preparing to publish information.

He also noted that "aggression-based matchmaking" isn't a term the developer uses. "It's not nearly as binary as people think", Watkins explains, "there's no such thing as a friendly lobby or an aggressive lobby, the system is still mixing everybody". Players have developed superstitions — don't return fire, don't loot bodies — to chase friendlier lobbies, but Watkins says the system tracks longer-term habits.

"I think people do feel as though it's incredibly binary, and even shooting one raider, one time, just automatically puts you into an aggressive lobby.

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