Embark is still deciding whether Arc Raiders' PvE mode comes back for good

Arc Raiders studio Embark hasn't decided whether its PvE mode is coming back. The studio says it's weighing its options now that the limited-time test is over.

Earlier this month, Embark added a PvE toggle to the game for a week before removing it again. Flip it on and the usual PvPvE match turned into something friendlier: players couldn't hurt each other and instead teamed up against the Arc.

According to Eurogamer, it was the game's first-ever test of a dedicated PvE mode, and it followed months of player requests. Eurogamer also reports that feedback has generally been favorable, but that Embark has gone quiet on whether the mode will stick around.

The tension is easy to see. Arc Raiders is built around the threat of other players showing up mid-raid, and taking that away changes what the game is. Video Games Chronicle quotes the question Embark is wrestling with: "How we do that without undermining the premise of the game itself?"

Eurogamer's headline carries another line from the studio: "We need to understand what the need is here."

PC Gamer reports that the game's executive producer was "a bit skeptical" about adding PvE in the first place, but that after the test the team now needs to decide "what we want to do going forward". PC Gamer's own take is simple: replicate the PvE test for the players who want it.

If you enjoyed raiding without watching your back, there's no return date to circle yet. Embark hasn't said when it'll make a call, or what a permanent version might look like.