Zero player damage in Arc Raiders means Raiders cannot hurt one another in the limited PvE test, while ARC machines can still attack and knock you down. JcE refers to player versus environment play: the threat comes from the machines rather than damage dealt by other players. Your choice of ARC Raiders Items does not change that player damage restriction. The test also reduces overall loot value, so removing player combat comes with a tradeoff.

What can still hurt you in PvE

ARC machines remain dangerous even when damage between players is disabled. The PvE setting removes one source of damage; it does not make a session risk-free. You still need to account for machine attacks when moving through an area or helping a teammate.

Stun and fire throwables have no effect on other players during the test. Physical interaction items, including barricades and ziplines, retain their functions. That distinction matters because disabling player damage does not remove every way Raiders can interact with the session.

Being knocked down also leaves you exposed to ARC. Machines will not acquire a downed player as a target during an eight-second grace period. After those eight seconds, moving can cause them to target and attack you again, while staying still allows them to ignore you. Before moving toward help, consider whether nearby machines could attack again.

How do you enter the limited test

The test uses a matchmaking toggle to choose between PvE sessions and the standard PvPvE experience, which combines machine threats with combat between players. The supplied schedule places the update 2.1.0 test window from October 13, 2026, at 11:00 CEST to October 20, 2026, at 11:00 CEST. Those dates define a temporary opportunity, not permanent access to a separate mode.

Solo players, duos, and trios can share the same PvE session. Choosing solo play therefore does not mean every other Raider in that session will also be alone. Time spent in PvE does not affect your PvPvE matchmaking rating, and the toggle allows you to return to standard matchmaking during the test.

Queue times may increase in regions with fewer players or during quiet hours. Standard PvPvE matchmaking continues alongside the experiment, so the additional choice divides players between the two options.

Which restrictions affect your choice

PvE sessions have lower overall loot value to account for the reduced threat from other Raiders. Choose the test for its machine-focused combat and opportunities to cooperate, while accounting for that reduced loot value when deciding what you want from a run.

The test does not offer PvE matchmaking for Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate, or Redirection. A preference for one of those conditions can therefore change which matchmaking option suits your next session.

A permanent PvE mode is not promised. The planned end of the experiment removes the toggle and restores the normal matchmaking arrangement. Feedback and gameplay data will inform whether the option returns, and any future version could use different rules.

Select the PvE toggle during the scheduled window when your priority is facing machines without taking damage from other Raiders, then choose an available session that fits its restrictions. Before deciding to buy ARC Raiders Trinkets, make that matchmaking choice and account for the reduced loot value when planning your next run.