Arc Raiders PvE Mode: Player Base Split?

This article examines the claim that adding a PvE mode could split Arc Raiders’ player base, a concern that remains unverified. We’ll break down what the game’s current design implies, how matchmaking and server architecture factor in, and what the actual risks and mitigations are, based on publicly available information.

Formula

The calculator estimates the potential split of a player base between PvE and PvP modes. The formula is:

PvE Players = Daily Active Players × (1 – PvP Percentage / 100)

PvP Players = Daily Active Players × (PvP Percentage / 100)

Where:

• Daily Active Players (d) – total number of players in a day (unit: players).
• PvP Percentage (p) – percentage of players who choose PvP mode (unit: %).
• PvE Players – estimated number of players in PvE mode (unit: players).
• PvP Players – estimated number of players in PvP mode (unit: players).

Worked Example

Using the default values: 10,000 daily active players, 70% in PvP, 2 hours per session.

1. Calculate PvP players: 10,000 × 70/100 = 7,000
2. Calculate PvE players: 10,000 × (1 – 70/100) = 3,000
3. Calculate ratio: 3,000 / 7,000 = 0.43 (rounded to 2 decimals)

The calculator shows 7,000 PvP players and 3,000 PvE players, with a PvE/PvP ratio of 0.43. This means for every PvE player, there are roughly 2.3 PvP players.

Background: Arc Raiders and Its Core Loop

Arc Raiders is a free-to-play, PvPvE extraction shooter developed by Embark Studios. The core gameplay loop involves players entering a map, fighting AI-controlled enemies (the ARC), collecting loot, and extracting safely. The twist is that other human players are also on the map, and they can choose to cooperate or compete. The game is designed around this tension—the unpredictability of human opponents is a central feature. The question of adding a pure PvE mode (no other human players) has been a recurring topic in community discussions, especially since the game’s original reveal in 2021, which showed a more PvE-focused co-op experience before the shift to PvPvE.

How a PvE Mode Would Work

If a PvE mode were added, it would likely take one of several forms:

• Co-op missions: A separate queue where players face only AI enemies, with no human opponents. This could be story-driven or objective-based.
• Private lobbies: Players could host games with friends, disabling PvP entirely, but with reduced loot or rewards.
• PvE-only map variants: Certain maps or modes would be designated as PvE-only, possibly with different objectives.

In any case, the matchmaking system would need to separate PvE and PvP queues, which means the total player population is divided. The key question is whether the division harms the PvP experience.

Common Problems: Queue Times and Server Health

The primary risk of splitting the player base is longer queue times and less balanced matches. In a PvPvE extraction shooter like Arc Raiders, the matchmaking pool needs to be large enough to fill lobbies quickly and match players of similar skill. If a significant portion of the player base moves to a PvE mode, the PvP queue could suffer, leading to:

• Longer wait times: Players may wait several minutes instead of seconds.
• Skill disparity: With fewer players, the matchmaker may pair veterans with newcomers, creating frustrating experiences.
• Server costs: Running separate servers for PvE and PvP increases operational costs, which could affect the game’s free-to-play model.

However, these problems are not inevitable. Many games successfully run both PvE and PvP modes, such as Destiny 2 or Warframe, but they often have large player bases or use shared world spaces.

Comparisons: Other Games That Faced the Same Question

Several games have dealt with this exact dilemma:

• Hunt: Showdown – A PvPvE extraction shooter that has remained PvP-only, with occasional PvE events. The developers have stated that a pure PvE mode would split the player base and harm the core experience.
• Escape from Tarkov – Offers both PvP and PvE (co-op) modes, but the PvE mode is a separate paid version, and the player base is large enough to support both.
• The Division – Had a PvPvE dark zone and later added a PvE-only mode (Survival) which was well-received, but the game had a massive player base at launch.

These examples show that the risk depends on the size of the player base and how the modes are implemented. For a new game like Arc Raiders, the player base is still growing, so a split could be riskier.

How to Choose: What the Developers Consider

When deciding whether to add a PvE mode, developers weigh several factors:

• Player demand: Are players asking for it? If a large portion of the community wants a PvE experience, ignoring them could drive them away.
• Retention vs. engagement: PvE modes often attract casual players who spend more time in the game but may not engage in the competitive PvP loop. This can increase overall retention but reduce the intensity of PvP matches.
• Monetization: PvE modes can be monetized separately (e.g., expansions, cosmetics), but they also require more content to keep players interested.
• Technical feasibility: Can the game engine handle separate server instances? Are there enough players to fill both queues?

Developers often use internal data on queue times, player retention, and churn to model the impact. Without access to that data, the claim that a PvE mode would split the player base remains unverified—it’s a plausible risk, but not a certainty.

Safety and Fairness: The Unspoken Concern

Another angle is the safety of the player experience. PvPvE games can be stressful for casual players, who may feel overwhelmed by experienced PvP players. A PvE mode could provide a safer, more relaxed environment, but it also means those players are not contributing to the PvP ecosystem. This could lead to a

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in t | Playtime per session | hours | 2 | 0
in d | Daily active players | players | 10000 | 0
in p | Players in PvP mode | % | 70 | 0
out pve | Players in PvE mode | players | d * (1 - p/100) | 0
out pvp | Players in PvP mode | players | d * p/100 | 0
out ratio | PvE/PvP ratio | - | (1 - p/100) / (p/100) | 2