ARC Raiders' New Matchmaking Option Has Left Fans Disappointed

The ARC Raiders community has been left baffled by a new matchmaking option added as part of the shooter’s Headwinds update on January 27, leaving many asking, “Who is this for?” While Embark has acknowledged constant requests for different matchmaking options in ARC Raiders, such as one that would force players to bring in a minimum loadout value to make raids far more interesting, the studio has thrown fans a curveball and given them something they did not expect: solo vs squads.

Earlier today, ARC Raiders received a brand-new update. Patch 1.13.0, more commonly known as Headwinds, is the first major content update of the year, adding a new matchmaking option, player project, and a map condition solely for Buried City. There were also tons of bug fixes, general improvements, new features, and more. But it is the 1v3 matchmaking option that has been the talk of the update, largely due to the fact that it offers no real benefit for those risking their loot against a full team. Embark has been kind enough to give solo players a 20% XP boost, regardless of whether they extract or die, but many believe it simply isn’t enough to warrant such a risk.

New Extraction Shooter on Steam Takes Borderlands’ Style and Crushes It Together With ARC Raiders

Gravebound mixes Borderlands’ style with ARC Raiders’ gameplay, offering a faster and louder take on extraction shooters during Early Access.

ARC Raiders Players Are Baffled By New 1v3 Matchmaking Option

The new matchmaking feature is completely optional and only available to those who have reached level 40 or above, but with only additional XP up for grabs and the majority of players likely already level 75, many are wondering what the point is. “Glad for anyone who wanted this. Not sure who those people are,” Reddit user GoSwords said. Another user made the important point that anybody who has a chance at winning a solo vs squads battle in ARC Raiders will “100% already be max level.” While the mode could have been great for anybody looking to put their skills to the test for some high-value loot, it looks like an XP boost isn’t going to be enough of an incentive to get players on board with such a high-risk option.

Many other players believe this type of matchmaking is solely for ARC Raiders streamers, and not the everyday casual player. “Great, they made a lobby just for Tfue,” one user joked. Another noted how Embark only seems to be listening to the streaming community, saying, “This seems like a mode that’s only going to be entertaining to content creators.” While professional players such as Shroud, Ninja, or Tfue seem to be more of the target audience for this new matchmaking feature, even they may not want to put themselves at such a disadvantage for practically no reward.

Earlier this month, a developer at Embark acknowledged player requests for the studio to add high-tier raids to ARC Raiders. While the studio said it didn’t want to segment the playerbase too much, it admitted it has toyed with the idea. For those who haven’t kept up with the constant community requests, players believe there should be an option that prevents users from spawning in with a free loadout. If a minimum loadout value requirement is added, it forces players to bring their better gear and makes raids much more exciting. Embark says it’s not “off the table,” which means there’s hope it could arrive in a future update.

The developer recently outlined its plans for the next few months, revealing an official 2026 roadmap for ARC Raiders. Headwinds was just the first of four major content updates, with the next set to arrive in February. Known as Shrouded Sky, next month’s patch will add another new map condition, a new ARC threat, a player project, a raider deck, a map update, and more. A third update will then arrive in March, followed by a highly anticipated patch in April, which will add a new map to the game and a third large ARC enemy.