Despite what all the friendly matches would have you believe, Arc Raiders is a PvP-first extraction shooter. The Arc machines are simple, well-designed hazards that are basically just there to encourage PvP altercations or large-scale team-ups for loot that'll eventually trickle down into even more PvP. I'll admit though, having such unique interactions with other players in such a bloodthirsty genre is one of my favourite things about Arc Raiders.
Nevertheless, without that PvP tension, Arc Raiders gets old quickly. Seriously, if you're not shooting other players from time to time, or getting shot at, what are you really doing? Running around the map to collect random junk and gear…that you'll then use to run around the map again collecting even more random bits and bobs?
Ultimately, there's a reason why Embark pivoted away from Arc Raiders being a fully PvE game into the PvPvE extraction shooter it is today. In its own words, the original incarnation was little more than "quite fun", only coming together once it was overhauled towards PvP as well.
With that being said, there remains a sentiment that Arc Raiders needs a PvE mode—it's something that I've toyed with myself. The thing I can't get over is that it's almost impossible to implement correctly, and unsustainable either way.
Let's think this through: if Embark simply added a matchmaking option forbidding you from harming other players, you're immediately throwing a spanner in the works of the loot economy. Can you earn all the same items and gear as you could in PvP? If so, why would you ever add more risk? Plus, the aggression-based matchmaking already makes it pretty safe for those who don't like conflict, but not entirely safe.
Adding a PvE-only option would also negatively impact the standard mode, since it would take a whole type of player out of matches: prey. You need that push and pull to have the dynamic, tense matches we're can have now.
As I said earlier, there's really not much to do in Arc Raiders once you've done a few upgrades and completed some quests, since none of the tasks are engaging enough in their own right. That's by design as, ultimately, besides fighting deadly Arc machines, PvP exists to fill that void.
Option two is to add a fully-fledged PvE raid mode. With how well-designed the Arc machines are, I can absolutely see this being a blast, fighting through waves of bots, perhaps solving a few puzzles on the way towards a big boss—akin to a Destiny or MMO raid or dungeon. Even better is that it would finally give us a use for much of our high-end gear, like legendary weapons, which are focused on PvE.
However, by making a raid the capstone of the experience, Embark would officially be picking a side in the PvPvE action that defines the game as it stands. The usual extraction matches, in a way, become the grind—a means to an end.
On a much more practical level, live service PvE content just isn't sustainable without a price to pay. Let's face it, one, two, or even three unique raids wouldn't keep the community entertained for long in the same way that more dynamic multiplayer can. And by elevating this type of content to the ultimate endgame, all eyes are on it to deliver consistently. Even trailblazers like Destiny have struggled under this weight, and I very much doubt Arc Raiders would escape the black hole.
As much as I'd love to see all the creative opportunities that are undoubtedly packed into a potential Arc Raiders PvE mode, it's hard to see it ever happening, let alone without some serious holes. Ideally, Embark will prove me wrong.
