Arc Raiders dev says it uses 'aggression-based matchmaking' to pair bloodthirsty, PvP-minded players with each other

Arc Raiders loot guide: An upper-body shot of Celeste standing against a cabinet in Speranza, lit by a red glow. Her arms are crossed and she's looking down thoughtfully.

Arc Raiders has gotten plenty of praise for being a touch more chill than other extraction shooters, and that's by design—right on down to the game's matchmaking system, which takes notice of how aggressive you are and tries to match you with like-minded players.

This was confirmed in an interview stream Games Beat conducted with Embark's CEO, Patrick Söderlund. He explained in the video that "the game isn't about shooting other players," though "you can do that if you want to." The PvP is largely a way to "add tension," and while that means players should always pose a threat to one another, the game actively works to match more peaceful players together.