ARC Raiders Update Changes Matchmaking to Improve Raid Quality

Live-service shooters live and die by player experience, and ARC Raiders is the latest to adjust the rules of engagement. Embark Studios has released a store update that includes a major matchmaking change, built around recent community feedback and aimed at producing higher-quality raid matches.

Why Embark is revisiting ARC Raiders matchmaking

Matchmaking has long been a flashpoint for ARC Raiders players—and for Embark. With the game continuing to evolve since its October 30, 2025 launch, the studio has leaned on ongoing events and regular content drops to keep momentum.

That cadence has shifted over time. After the April Update, Embark ended monthly ARC Raiders content drops and moved to two major content updates per year, while still maintaining a live service team to support smaller events and updates. The result is a roadmap that depends heavily on targeted changes—like this latest store update—to keep the game feeling fair and consistent between larger releases.

In the July 22 store update, Embark confirms it has made matchmaking adjustments based on player feedback. The core idea is straightforward: ARC Raiders already factors in playstyle, and now the system is being tuned further to improve the overall match experience.

Longer queues, better matchups, and squad-size awareness

Embark’s update indicates the matchmaking changes may increase matchmaking time. However, the intended payoff is more consistent raid quality—specifically, pairing players with others who better match their playstyle and squad size.

The studio’s messaging frames this as a fairness and enjoyment upgrade: if the game can more reliably group like-minded squads, raids should feel more competitive and less random. Importantly, Embark also signals it will keep using both player feedback and matchmaking metric data to determine whether additional tweaks are needed.

That combination—community-driven iteration plus internal performance measurements—suggests Embark is treating matchmaking as an ongoing system rather than a one-and-done fix.

More July updates: cosmetic colors and a fresh expedition start

The July 22 store update isn’t only about matchmaking. It also adds two new colors to the Torpedo set: black and camo. Players who already own the Torpedo set will automatically unlock these new color options.

Alongside the cosmetic additions, the fourth expedition has kicked off. The new expedition gives players a way to earn a mystery reward by restarting their character, continuing ARC Raiders’ pattern of mixing progression with limited-time goals.

PvE mode requests continue—just not in ARC Raiders

While ARC Raiders players continue to ask for some kind of PvE-style mode, Embark’s most recent PvE addition landed in another game. As part of The Finals’ newest season, Embark introduced a PvE bot battle mode tied to Cashout.

In that mode, players can team up with NPC bots or face bot opponents alongside humans. The source also notes there are no restrictions on normal progression—players can still complete quests and earn full XP in the PvE bot battle environment.

That contrast highlights the gap between what ARC Raiders players want next and what Embark has chosen to ship elsewhere—at least for now—while the ARC Raiders community waits for its anticipated October content drop.

Key points

• Embark’s July store update makes a major matchmaking change in ARC Raiders.
• Matchmaking may take longer, but the goal is better matches based on playstyle and squad size.
• Embark will keep iterating using player feedback and matchmaking metrics.
• The update also adds Torpedo set colors (black, camo) and starts the fourth expedition.

Expert View

This kind of matchmaking overhaul signals that Embark is willing to prioritize systemic player experience even when it risks longer queue times. For a franchise still building its long-term identity, tightening how squads and playstyles are grouped can directly affect retention—especially in a live-service era where major content drops are less frequent. At the same time, the continued PvE requests in ARC Raiders, contrasted with Embark’s PvE delivery in The Finals, suggests the studio is testing demand and delivery paths across its portfolio before committing to the specific mode ARC Raiders players are asking for.