Notes on The Matchmaking System
Matchmaking now distinguishes between self-defense and initiating PvP, while low-activity rounds have reduced impact on player playstyle profiles.
Key Changes
- 1Self-defense is now distinguished from initiating PvP in playstyle calculations
- 2Low-activity rounds (spawning/surrendering) have reduced weight in player history
- 3Matchmaking prioritizes matching equal squad sizes
- 4Playstyle matching is based on a continuous scale rather than binary buckets
- 5Loadout cost and kit selection do not affect matchmaking
All Changes
⚖️Matchmaking(11)
- changeMatchmaking: Self-defense is now tracked separately from initiating PvP encounters to prevent cautious players from being misclassified as aggressive.
- changeMatchmaking: Low-activity rounds (e.g., spawning and surrendering) now carry less weight in a player's playstyle history.
- changeMatchmaking: The system prioritizes matching equal squad sizes whenever possible to ensure fairness.
- changeMatchmaking: Players are matched based on a continuous playstyle scale derived from previous rounds rather than binary 'friendly' or 'aggressive' buckets.
- changeMatchmaking: Playstyle shifts are gradual; single kills or isolated PvP moments do not immediately move a player into different lobby types.
- changeMatchmaking: End-of-round feedback surveys are used for design decisions and do not affect future lobby placement.
- changeMatchmaking: Player loadouts and kit costs have no impact on matchmaking or lobby difficulty scaling.
- changeMatchmaking: Matchmaking profiles and playstyle history are persistent and do not reset when new patches or updates are released.
- changeMatchmaking: Looting knocked-out players is not factored into playstyle-based matchmaking calculations.
- changeMatchmaking: Every member of a squad influences the matchmaking profile; the squad leader's profile is not weighted more heavily than others.
- changeMatchmaking: Toggling crossplay only affects the size of the matchmaking pool and wait times, not the cooperative or aggressive tone of the match.
Summary
Matchmaking Philosophy
Embark Studios has clarified the goals of the ARC Raiders matchmaking system, which focuses on Fairness (matching equal squad sizes) and Enjoyment (matching players based on playstyle). The system uses a continuous scale to track how Raiders engage with others, ranging from highly cooperative to highly aggressive, rather than using binary "friendly" or "PvP" buckets.
Logic Updates
Two significant changes have been implemented to improve playstyle estimation. First, the system now differentiates between Raiders who initiate a fight and those who are merely defending themselves. Second, rounds with minimal interaction—such as spawning and immediately surrendering—now carry significantly less weight in a player's historical profile.
System Clarifications
The developers also debunked several community myths, confirming that loadouts, end-of-round surveys, and looting behavior do not influence matchmaking. Additionally, matchmaking profiles are persistent across patches and are influenced by all members of a squad, not just the leader.