Embark confirm "Duo prioritized matchmaking" for ARC Raiders and lowered store prices

Embark Studios have confirmed some recent changes to ARC Raiders, including a highly requested change for Duos to have a bit more fun with it. The game has been running very well on Linux, even with the Easy Anti-Cheat as it's enabled. It's listed on our dedicated anti-cheat page.

The problem with the game previously is that Solo players were matched with other Solos and Trios with other Trios, but if you only had two players for a Duo, you were thrown into Trios games - which made it more difficult than it should be. There is an option to party up with randoms, but that's not always wanted. However, that changed beginning this week as confirmed today in a news post where Embark said:

We have silently tested and enabled Duo prioritized matchmaking, beginning earlier this week. Duo matchmaking will work like this: first, we prioritize Solos and Squads to play separately. After that, we prioritize Duos to play with other Duos, and for Trios to play with Trios. Please note that this is not a 100% guaranteed system, so you may at times run into differing constellations of players other than your own.

So it may not be perfect, but definitely a lot better.

On top of that, they've also listened to complaints about the in-game shop prices being ridiculous, something I noted in my more detailed article on it recently. Adjustments to the pricing to be lower will go live tomorrow, Thursday the 13th at 10:30 CET / 09:30 UTC. They will also be refunding the difference to players who already purchased at the old prices.

Pictured - ARC Raiders on Linux

Another thing they also confirmed is that the Raider Decks are basically their Battle Pass system. The current one is entirely free, with you earning points to pick stuff from it during the game. They've said they'll be adding more free Decks to it, along with Paid decks too. They made it clear that there will be "no Pay to Win items in the premium Raider Decks" with a focus on "cosmetics and convenience".

Still, I'm a bit concerned what these convenience items will be in the upcoming Premium Raider Decks. They might not intentionally be pay to win, but they could result in an advantage. Then again, items can be just as easily lost to another player during a match. Will have to wait and see.

Overall it's great to see that they're properly listening to players.

If you want to pick it up, it seems Fanatical still somehow have it on a 14% discount.