Von Online Games VIP Editorial
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IGN reports that Arc Raiders’ experimental PvE mode is already seeing players abuse AI, extraction points and locked loot rooms to disrupt others.
Arc Raiders’ experimental PvE mode is already producing a different kind of player conflict. According to IGN, some players are using the mode’s protections against friendly fire to make other raiders vulnerable to enemies, obstruct their movement and contest valuable loot.
IGN reports that the tactics include using Bull Rush to push players near extraction points, throwing lure grenades to draw enemy robots into those areas and waiting outside locked loot rooms for someone else to arrive with a key. The report does not establish how widespread these behaviors are, but it shows that removing direct player damage has not removed the ability to interfere with other players.
The central issue described by IGN is that Arc Raiders’ PvE rules change the consequences of hostile behavior rather than eliminating it. Players cannot simply shoot another raider in the mode, according to IGN, but they can still create situations where Arc enemies do the damage for them. That gives disruptive players a way to affect another team without directly registering a kill against a fellow raider.
IGN reports that videos are circulating of players using the Bull Rush ability against raiders who are attempting to extract. The ability can push players into dangerous positions, where hostile Arc machines may finish the fight. The player who initiated the push can then loot the defeated raider without having directly attacked them with a weapon, according to the report.
This behavior matters because extraction is already a high-pressure part of the game. Players reaching an extraction point have generally committed time to a match and may be carrying equipment or loot they want to keep. IGN’s reporting indicates that a player can turn that final stage into a trap by using movement abilities and the surrounding AI instead of relying on conventional PvP damage.
Another tactic involves locked loot rooms. IGN reports that some players wait near these locations for someone else to arrive with a key. The player holding the key then faces an awkward choice: open the room and potentially allow the waiting player to take part of the rewards, or leave and try another match with different teammates or opponents.
In a PvP lobby, a player contesting that room could be attacked directly. In the PvE mode described by IGN, the dispute instead becomes a race to collect the contents first. That changes the pressure from combat skill to positioning, timing and willingness to wait for another player to do the work of reaching the room.
IGN also reports that lure grenades are being used to draw enemy robots toward extraction points. The report identifies a Shredder as an especially dangerous example, although it does not provide a complete list of enemies being used in this way. A lure grenade used during a normal fight may be part of a player’s attempt to manage the battlefield. Used near another team’s extraction, it can become a tool for forcing additional danger onto players who are already trying to leave.
IGN frames the appeal of Arc Raiders around uncertainty. In ordinary encounters, players do not know whether another raider will behave aggressively or cooperatively. The report describes lobbies ranging from highly hostile groups to players who act generously, with that uncertainty contributing to the intensity of an encounter.
The PvE mode removes direct player-versus-player shooting, but the examples in IGN’s report suggest that social uncertainty remains. A player may not be able to damage a teammate or rival with bullets, yet they still need to judge whether another raider will share a locked room, avoid an extraction point or use tools in a way that increases the group’s danger.
Analysis: For players, this means the PvE label may not describe a fully cooperative experience. It describes the main source of damage, not necessarily the entire social environment. If another raider can push a player, block movement or attract hostile machines, then cooperation still depends on trust and restraint.
That distinction is particularly important for less experienced players. IGN reports that at least one player described encountering this behavior during a first game, including other players taking available loot, throwing lure grenades while the team fought Arc enemies and obstructing an attempted revive. The report presents that account as a social-media user’s experience, not as an independently verified measure of the mode as a whole.
Players entering PvE to avoid direct gunfights may therefore still encounter pressure that feels deliberately antagonistic. They may survive the shooting phase only to face interference at the loot room or extraction point. Whether that is viewed as clever use of the available systems or as griefing will likely depend on the mode’s intended role and on how consistently these tactics appear in matches.
IGN reports that the PvE mode is experimental. That is the most important piece of context for interpreting the current behavior, because it means the existing rules and incentives may not be final. The report does not identify a confirmed timetable for changes, a planned punishment system or a final decision about the mode’s future.
IGN says the developers have stated that loot is reduced in PvE, while also reporting that players are leaving matches with powerful-looking equipment. The article does not provide a detailed comparison of loot tables, a test of drop rates or figures showing how much gear players are earning. It is therefore not possible to determine from the available evidence whether the mode’s rewards are undermining the intended balance.
The reward question is important because it may influence why players choose to disrupt others. IGN presents two possible explanations: some players may be trying to become wealthier at other players’ expense, while others may be PvP players attempting to make the experimental mode look unsuccessful. Those explanations are presented as possibilities, not established motives.
Analysis: The mode’s long-term health may depend less on whether players can invent these tactics and more on whether those tactics are worthwhile. If waiting outside a locked room or pulling a robot into an extraction offers a strong reward with little risk, the behavior could become a routine part of the mode. If the incentives are weak, it may remain an occasional nuisance rather than a defining feature.
IGN also places the situation in the wider debate about extraction shooters. The report notes that Arc Raiders has experienced an earlier griefing controversy involving a player who targeted newcomers and lightly equipped players for sport. It also mentions Bungie’s plans for PvE modes in Marathon and points to Hunt: Showdown as an example of a game that retained a focused identity rather than moving away from its core approach.
Those comparisons provide context, but they do not prove that Arc Raiders should or should not retain PvE. Each game has different rules, maps, progression systems and audiences. The confirmed point from IGN’s report is narrower: Arc Raiders’ experimental PvE rules have not prevented players from finding ways to create hostile encounters.
The next evidence will come from how Embark responds to the reported tactics. IGN says the experimental mode could be changed, but the report does not cite a specific developer announcement describing upcoming adjustments. There is currently no confirmed information in the source about changes to Bull Rush, lure grenades, extraction behavior, locked loot rooms or player punishments.
Players should watch for clear communication about the mode’s intended experience. If PvE is meant to support cooperation, future guidance could clarify whether blocking, pushing and deliberate AI manipulation are considered acceptable system use or disruptive behavior. If the mode is intended to preserve some of Arc Raiders’ social uncertainty, Embark may choose to leave more of these interactions in place.
Reward structure is another area worth monitoring. IGN reports that developers have said PvE loot is nerfed, while players are nevertheless reporting strong gear. Without published figures or a controlled comparison, it remains unknown whether PvE progression is materially different from the main mode and whether that difference is encouraging players to farm or sabotage others.
The scale of the problem is also unconfirmed. IGN describes videos, reported encounters and several recognizable tactics, but the source does not provide player counts, match-frequency data or an official estimate of how often these incidents occur. A few highly visible clips can demonstrate that the behavior is possible without showing that it dominates most PvE lobbies.
For now, the practical lesson is that Arc Raiders PvE does not guarantee a friction-free run. According to IGN, players may still need to protect their extraction attempts, remain cautious around locked loot rooms and account for teammates or nearby raiders who can manipulate enemy behavior. That is not the same as facing direct PvP, but it is still a form of player-driven danger.
Whether the mode becomes a useful cooperative alternative or a new stage for extraction-game mischief will depend on the changes, if any, that Embark makes. The current reporting establishes the tactics being observed. It does not yet establish their overall prevalence, their effect on the wider player base or the final direction of the experimental mode.