Arc Raiders' limited-time PvE test, which began October 13, has already revealed an unexpected challenge: griefing without friendly fire. According to IGN, players are exploiting abilities like Bull Rush to knock opponents into enemy robots and loot them consequence-free, while also camping locked loot rooms and herding Arc enemies toward extraction points where other players are trying to leave.
The mode's original goal was straightforward: disable player-versus-player damage, forcing everyone to focus on combat and shared extraction. As GamesRadar reports, Embark Studios debated PvE internally for some time before realizing the community had essentially done the groundwork by creating friendly-fire-off servers. Executive producer Aleksander Grøndal said the team decided to give "dad gamers" a fair shot at a lower-tension experience.
Community response has been mixed. Some players criticized the mode as feeling like a "shop simulator", stripped of interaction and the tension that defines Arc Raiders. Others, however, view it as the game they've always wanted. The test runs through October 20 and should provide Embark with data to decide on a permanent rollout.
