I am very excited at the prospect of an Arc Raiders PvE-only mode. I have been ever since I got a tiny taste of what it could be like in Shared Watch, and even before that while playing in friendly lobbies. I know some aren't happy at the prospect of a mode with no PvP, but the only thing I can't believe is that Embark hasn't made this change sooner.
I've always thought that Arc Raiders was at its best in its early stages when players had to work together to take down high-value arcs. This kind of cooperation led to some genuinely hilarious scenarios or just nice encounters with strangers; something I hadn't experienced in an online multiplayer game for quite some time.
At one point I remember being huddled in a bunker with another trio while trying to take down a Rocketeer on Spaceport. While we did manage to kill it, we were then caught out when a second Rocketeer turned up and we had almost no ammo left. It was a slightly bizarre situation to be found in with strangers. But it led to some very impressive strategy and coordination, and certainly a memorable experience, as we broke off into duos and ran in opposite directions, taking it in turns to distract the Rocketeer so we could all make a successful break for the extraction point.
I think this novelty is what brought a lot of players into Arc Raiders; it's certainly what kept me around for so long even after I'd completed expeditions and all the quests. But as more people left the number of fun encounters dropped and soon most of my interactions in Arc Raiders were just with liars, assholes, or cheaters. And that's not a great way to spend your free time.
If there had been a PvE mode this is when I would've transferred over to that. I probably would have even played Arc Raiders relatively frequently in said mode from there on, as I'm sure others who enjoy the simplicity of fun social interactions and taking down arcs would have as well. But with no other option than increasingly sour PvP lobbies I decided to retire my raider for the time being.
That's not to say PvP is absolutely no fun. Again, early on I had an absolute blast playing in trio PvP lobbies. The tension and strategic play was fantastic and felt really unique to Arc Raiders' ecosystem. Having to be cautious of both arcs and fellow players made games more hectic but that meant there was a better payoff when you all managed to extract in one piece with some hefty loot.
The weird and funny social moments that Arc Raiders did so well isn't exclusive to PvE or PvP lobbies.
It could also lead to equally hilarious scenarios. I still remember when my trio spotted another team from a mile off in Dam Battlegrounds who were clearly trying to flank us and just acting really suspicious. The only problem was they had absolutely no cover but also didn't seem to realise that if they could see us it meant we could also see them. Their surprise attack was quickly felled and then we had to explain to them how line of sight worked as we guided them to extract so they could go home to Speranza.
The weird and funny social moments that Arc Raiders did so well isn't exclusive to PvE or PvP lobbies. But PvE offers a guarantee that PvP can't: your games won't get ruined by assholes who lie or extract camp. And with no sign of the huge anticheat overhaul PvP would need to get fixed I can't see things changing anytime soon, so with that in mind I'd prefer something rather than nothing, because the world of Arc Raiders is simply too cool to watch waste away.
Embark has even admitted that a large chunk of Arc Raiders playerbase is PvE orientated, so I'd hardly be surprised if fair chunk of players came back just out of curiosity about what PvE lobbies could look like.
Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that this PvE test will even lead to a permanent addition. But I'll still be checking in to get a taste of what it could be like because a low-intensity Arc Raiders interlude sounds like great fun right about now.
