Is the "friendliest community in gaming" suddenly losing its chill? That’s the fear rippling through the ARC Raiders community this week. Following the release of Update 1.12.0 on January 20, 2026, longtime pacifist players are reporting a sudden, sharp rise in player-on-player aggression, leading many to believe that Embark Studios has quietly recalibrated its famous matchmaking "dials."
The "Aggression-Based" Secret Sauce
For those who haven't been keeping up with the meta, ARC Raiders has been widely praised for its unique approach to the extraction genre. Unlike competitors that force everyone into a single "murder-fest" pool, Embark uses a system they call Aggression-Based Matchmaking (ABMM).
How it (supposedly) works:
Passive Raiders: If you spend your time looting, destroying ARC machines, and reviving strangers, the game pairs you with other friendly, PvE-focused players.
Aggressive Raiders: If you’re a "shoot-on-sight" type, the game gradually shifts you into "killer pools" where everyone is just as trigger-happy as you are.
It’s a "weighted system," as Design Lead Virgil Watkins recently described it, designed to give players agency over their environment without splitting the player base into separate modes.
What Changed in Update 1.12.0?
The official patch notes for Tuesday’s update focused on bug fixes, specifically addressing duplication exploits and geometry issues in Stella Montis. However, Reddit and Discord have been flooded with reports from players who claim their once-peaceful lobbies have become war zones overnight.
"I haven't shot a single raider in three weeks," one user noted on Reddit. "Since the update, I've been hunted down and killed six times in a row. It feels like the system has been completely reset or deactivated."
Top Community Theories:
The "Wipe" Theory: Some speculate that every major patch "resets" a player's aggression score to a neutral baseline, forcing pacifists to "earn" their way back into friendly lobbies by surviving without firing back.
The "Weighted" Adjustment: Players believe Embark may have lowered the "weight" of the aggression score to prioritize faster queue times or to ensure lobbies have a "healthier mix" of player types.
The Gear Score Myth: Despite Embark explicitly stating they do not use Gear-Based Matchmaking, a vocal segment of the community remains convinced that bringing High-Tier (Purple/Yellow) loot Topside automatically flags you for more aggressive lobbies.
Embark’s Stance
As of today, January 21, Embark has not confirmed any changes to the matchmaking logic. In previous interviews, however, the team has been transparent about the fact that they are "continuing to add and tune" the system based on player behavior. They’ve also warned that the system is a "blunt instrument" and not an exact science—there will always be "wolves in sheep's clothing" who play nice just long enough to backstab you at the extraction point.
Raider's Survival Tip
If your lobbies feel too sweaty after the update, the best current advice is to stick to your pacifist guns. The system is self-correcting; if you continue to prioritize PvE and avoid returning fire (even when provoked), the algorithm should eventually recognize your profile and move you back down the aggression gradient.
Are you seeing more "red names" in your raids this week, or is Appalachia still as friendly as ever? Let us know your experience in the comments!
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