Most new games, or new installments in well-known game series, attract many players and spark heated debates within the community upon release - whether praising or criticizing, it indicates the game's recent popularity.
For ARC Raiders, a new game released on October 30, 2025, one of the most heated player debates in its first week has been whether the game should have a purely PvE mode.
So why is this debate happening? Does it indicate community dissatisfaction with ARC Raiders' current modes and game nature? We will analyze this in detail below.

What Kind Of Game Is ARC Raiders?
As a third-person extraction shooter, ARC Raiders does not separate PvP and PvE modes. Instead, it creates a PvPvE open world where all real players coexist with the game's enemies, ARC robots.
The game is set in a post-apocalyptic future where robot enemies have taken over the surface, forcing humanity to live underground. Toledo in District of Speranza is where it all begins, where you play as a Raider fighting for humanity's freedom.
Based on this, the gameplay involves leaving the underground and venturing to the surface to fight other players and robot enemies while searching for and looting ARC Raiders items. You then retreat safely back underground with your loot.
These loot items can be used directly in combat as gear or healing items, or they can be crafted or sold as raw materials. They form the basis of the game's trade and resources.
Advantages Of The Existing PvPvE Mechanism
Compared to traditional PvP or PvE, PvPvE combines different enemy types in a mixed way. Combined with the time-limited rounds introduced by ARC Raiders, this maximizes the excitement and thrill of combat.
The benefit of this gameplay is that every exploration is fulfilling. Within those thirty minutes, you can use your weapons and tactics to eliminate any enemy, whether it's an ARC robot or any player trying to steal your resources.
Why Do Some Players Want Purely PvE Modes?
While the advantages are undeniable (otherwise ARC Raiders wouldn't have been so popular upon release), the chaotic PvPvE gameplay also has its drawbacks.
First, a sufficiently engaging experience means you must be constantly vigilant during each exploration, and the game currently doesn't offer a casual mode. This means you either have to endure the grind or simply shouldn't play ARC Raiders.
Second, while the matchmaking system strives to ensure you encounter other solo players of similar skill levels to maintain a fair and balanced PvP element, it's not 100% guaranteed; you might still encounter high-level players.
As a result, facing attacks from ARC enemies and other players, you might experience multiple failures or have your loot stolen during your exploration. This not only leaves you empty-handed but also dampens your enthusiasm for the game.
You May Like: ARC Raiders Best Beginner Tips And Hidden Loot Locations
In response to these issues, some players believe that this type of game doesn't need a casual mode, since combat is inherently tense and thrilling. And if you encounter high-level players, you can always team up with others.
We must acknowledge that these viewpoints have merit, but they also have flaws.
On one hand, the essence of games is to relax you; playing to exhaustion is putting the cart before the horse. On the other hand, over time, the existing mechanics become repetitive and tedious, and team play further diminishes the fun.
Furthermore, and importantly, while PvP modes offer excitement, the unpredictability of real players also attracts more cheating and malicious players. While these issues are unavoidable, ARC Raiders should create a "zero-contamination" PvE environment.
Why Add Separate PvE Modes Instead Of PvP?
You might ask, given the shortcomings of ARC Raiders' PvPvE mechanics, why do most people want a separate PvE mode instead of a PvP mode?
In fact, the existing PvPvE mechanics already contain more PvP elements, enough to experience the charm of ARC Raiders' PvP. It can continue to optimize the main gameplay, but there's no need to create a new PvP mode.
In contrast, PvE mechanic offers greater design freedom, allowing the development team to incorporate more casual and fun elements to attract casual players who don't prioritize competitive gameplay. This also addresses the first drawback of PvPvE, as mentioned earlier.
Furthermore, ARC Raiders boasts a deep and engaging backstory, which can be further developed and expanded upon in PvE mode - a common practice in most games.
What Could ARC Raiders PvE Mode Look Like?
While there are currently no plans to develop and add a PvE mode, we can speculate based on ARC Raiders' unique features and PvE modes of other extraction shooters.
In fact, the development team recently stated plans to add more ARC enemy types to the game. Instead of simply cramming them into PvPvE, a more refined design could be implemented, creating a dedicated PvE mode.
Alternatively, a time-limited PvE dungeon could be designed, featuring multiple surface maps. You need to clear enough robots within a specified time and on a map to summon a boss. A portion of the loot obtained can also be used for PvPvE gameplay.
A PvE campaign mode could also be utilized, leveraging the backstory to combine story progression with completing side quests and a reward system. The more storylines and quests unlocked, the more PvE rewards you'll receive.
In short, regardless of how many players oppose adding a PvE mode, relying solely on PvPvE mechanics to sustain the game in the long run is unreliable for ARC Raiders. What will this new game ultimately become? All you can do is wait and see.







Recent Hot Games News 










