"The system aims to balance fairness and enjoyment while maintaining unpredictability in encounters."
ARC Raiders' developers have published a detailed explanation of the game's matchmaking system. The system is designed to balance fairness and enjoyment while preserving the element of surprise in every encounter.
Matchmaking Goals
Fairness: The system attempts to match players with a similar likelihood of success. A key priority is ensuring equal squad sizes in every match.
Enjoyment: The system also aims to match players who are likely to have fun together, based on their individual playstyles.
Playstyle-Based Matchmaking
Playstyle is measured on a continuous scale, not binary categories. The system does not sort players into simple "friendly" vs. "aggressive" buckets.
- The system tries to place players with others who have a similar playstyle history, though matches are not guaranteed.
- Player behavior influences matchmaking gradually over time. Single actions do not cause immediate changes to how the system classifies you.
Common Myths Addressed
The developers took the opportunity to clear up several widespread misconceptions:
- There are not only two lobby types (friendly/aggressive).
- A single kill does not instantly label a player as PvP-focused.
- There are no PvE-only lobbies; risk always exists.
- End-of-round surveys do not affect matchmaking.
- Loadout selection does not influence matchmaking.
- Playstyle history persists across patches.
- Looting knocked-out players does not affect matchmaking.
- Squad leader has no special weight; all members influence the profile.
- Crossplay setting does not impact coop/PvP encounter likelihood.
Recent Improvements
- Self-defense vs. aggression: The system now distinguishes between initiating conflict and defending oneself.
- Low-activity rounds: Rounds with minimal interaction carry less weight in playstyle estimation.
Conclusion
"Player behavior shapes matchmaking over time, but unexpected encounters remain possible."
The developers stated they aim to make the game more fair and fun without eliminating unpredictability. While your actions will shape your matchmaking profile over time, the element of surprise is here to stay.