Embark Studios has not committed to a permanent PvE mode in Arc Raiders, but its CEO says building one would be easy and that letting players choose makes sense. Patrick Söderlund, now Nexon’s games chief, made the comments in a Game Business interview published on November 3.
The interview, with executive producer Aleksander Grøndal, looked back at the first year of the extraction shooter and the recent PvE matchmaking test.
What did Embark’s CEO say about PvE?
Söderlund said Embark could “just frankly add PvE,” calling it “not a difficult thing” to do. The hesitation, he explained, was about not fiddling too much with the core loop, because the PvP side of a PvPvE game adds tension.
He also said the team’s view has shifted: “we’ve now since tried it and realized that it’s fun. Why not have it? You know, maybe people can choose what they like,” as quoted by PC Gamer.
How did the PvE test go?
According to Grøndal, almost 50% of the rounds played during the test were on the PvE server, and there was a huge amount of interest. He also said some players who asked for PvE changed their minds because it lacked some of the game’s values, while others absolutely loved it.
GamesRadar reported earlier that the test ended with players completing over 30 million PvE rounds. Embark called the reception polarizing and said it needed time to understand the data before deciding how to proceed. It also said it expected to follow up with more information in November.
Why has Embark been cautious?
Arc Raiders began as a PvE-only game and pivoted to extraction PvP, so the studio sees the tension from other raiders as part of its identity. Söderlund said the team looked at the holistic picture and wanted to protect the creative integrity of the game.
Both executives pointed to the size of the audience. Söderlund said the community is so big that Embark “can’t ignore the PvE camp,” and described the goal as catering to all player types without watering down the overall experience.
Why does it matter now?
The game has been a large success. The Game Business reports that Arc Raiders sold 16 million copies in a little over six months. Söderlund said that scale created huge demand for more content, which is part of why the studio has been weighing how to broaden what the game offers.
PC Gamer notes that the technical side may be the easy part. Questions such as economy, population, servers and event design are likely more complicated than flipping a switch.
Prices
No price change or new purchase option has been announced. In the interview, Söderlund referred to a $40 purchase when discussing the 100 hours of play many players got from the game at launch. No separate cost for a PvE mode has been mentioned, and no such mode has been confirmed.
Who it suits
Players who want PvE only. The comments are the strongest sign yet that Embark is open to a permanent option, but nothing is promised and no date exists.
Players who like the PvP tension. Embark says it does not want to water down the core experience, and Söderlund talked about choice, which suggests the current mode would stay.
Returning or lapsed players. A PvE choice could be a reason to come back, though Embark has not said what shape it would take.
Who should wait. If you are deciding whether to buy the game for a PvE experience, hold off until Embark confirms a mode and its details.
What is still unknown?
Embark has not said whether PvE would be permanent, a separate queue or a toggle, how progression and the economy would work, or when a decision will come. The studio has said it expects to share more in November. Watch the official Arc Raiders website and Embark’s posts for that follow up.
