Arc Raiders has rolled out its 1.36.0 update, finally addressing a long-standing community request regarding how the game handles player matchmaking. While the game has remained a consistent presence on PC with 40,000 to 50,000 concurrent daily players according to SteamDB, this latest patch looks to refine the experience for those who switch between different squad sizes.

Independent Matchmaking for Solos, Duos, and Trios

Previously, Arc Raiders utilized an aggression-based matchmaking algorithm that assigned a single hidden rating to a player. This system tracked how often you engaged in combat versus how often you focused on PvE content. This caused issues for players who preferred a relaxed, friendly approach when playing solo but opted for competitive, high-aggression PvP when joining friends in trios.

Under the old system, playing aggressively with a squad could negatively impact your matchmaking in solo sessions, pushing you into lobbies filled with hostile players even when you wanted to focus on questing or gathering gear. As of update 1.36.0, this is no longer the case.

"Now, there's no overlap. You'll be able to go from friendly questing and plant-picking in Solo rounds to adrenaline-fueled PvP Trio games (if that's how you usually play in those respective cases), by simply changing your squad size. The same holds for Duo - all three are tracked on their own."

By tracking play styles independently across each mode, Embark Studios is allowing players to toggle between "care bear" lobbies and intense PvP encounters simply by adjusting their party size.

Additional Content and Technical Fixes

Beyond the matchmaking overhaul, update 1.36.0 introduces several other changes to the game:

  • New Content: The fourth Expedition Window is now open, and a new Season of Trials has commenced.
  • Crossover Gear: Players can look forward to a new crossover outfit themed after The Finals, which will be available to earn later this week.
  • Anti-Cheat and Stability: The rollout of the Denuvo anti-cheat system is now complete. The development team is also actively addressing duplication glitches and expanding the restrictions on free loadouts to apply to more map conditions.

While this update provides a significant quality-of-life boost, the team at Embark Studios has already pointed toward the upcoming October "Frozen Trail" update as a major milestone for the game's continued development.