Your Arc Raiders Matches Are Hostile? You Might Be the Cause.

If you’re diving into Arc Raiders solo, you’re likely to have a pretty chill experience. I’ve been in since the launch, and while the game’s meta has shifted towards a more aggressive playstyle as players gear up and get the hang of things, hopping on proximity chat to let others know you’re friendly or just on a quest usually lets you pass by without a hitch.

However, I’ve noticed plenty of players sharing a different experience. Theories about this discrepancy range from the region you’re in to the time of day or even the platform you’re using. Interestingly, it turns out the game employs a more sophisticated matchmaking system than many realized.

As noted by an outlet, Robert Sammelin, the art director at Embark Studios, mentioned that matchmaking is quite intricate, analyzing player behavior to create appropriate matches. A YouTuber named Domi conducted an extensive test over 200+ hours on two separate Arc Raiders accounts. One account was dedicated to PvP with 50 hours logged, while the other, where he refrained from shooting back, racked up 160 hours.

The results he shares are eye-opening. To sum it up, his friendly account experienced a majority of matches where players actively communicated via proximity chat, shared items, revived teammates, and collaborated to take down tougher Arc foes like Bombardiers and Bastions. In stark contrast, his PvP account saw nearly everyone he encountered open fire on him, prompting him to engage in PvP as well.

The key takeaway here is that if you’re mostly encountering friendly lobbies, just a few PvP matches can shift you into more aggressive encounters, while it takes significantly more friendly games to revert back to a more cooperative atmosphere. So, while it’s easier to stumble into hostile players, don’t lose hope—stick with it, and you’ll start finding more friendly faces to team up with.