Arc Raiders needs 'tension and risk' from other players, dev says

One of the most fascinating aspects of Arc Raiders, and PvPvE shooters in general, is the social dynamic created by knowing anyone in the lobby could hunt and loot your corpse or become your next virtual bestie.

Matchmaking even keeps track of how prone each player is to aggression. Embark Studios CEO Patrick Soderlund last month delved into how the game's matchmaking works, saying "first it's skilled-based," then it checks whether you're playing solo or in a group and takes into account what side of the PvPvE spectrum you fall on.

Design director Virgil Watkins told PC Gamer that Arc Raiders "needs that element of tension and risk from other players to be good." Even players who prefer PvE can find matches thrilling because there may be another human threat out there—sometimes within their own party.

arc raiders, pvpve, shooters, matchmaking, embark studios, patrick soderlund, virgil watkins, loot, tension, aggression