No Gear-Based Matchmaking for ARC Raiders: Focus on Balance

What to know

• ARC Raiders will not use loot or gear score-based matchmaking at launch.​
• Matchmaking will focus on separating solos and squads for an even playing field.​​
• Developers have evaluated gear-based systems but prioritize fairness and quality matches.​​
• Ongoing monitoring will guide future matchmaking adjustments after launch.​​

The ARC Raiders team recently clarified its matchmaking policies in response to increasing community debate around loot and gear score balancing. Despite previous considerations of systems that group players by their equipment quality or "gear score," the developers have moved away from this approach for the initial release. Instead, their main priority is to keep solo players and squads in distinct matchmaking pools. This practice is meant to ensure that both groups compete within their own fair and competitive environments.​​

Feedback within the genre often centers on frustrations caused by mismatches between heavily equipped veterans and new players. While some games address this with gear score limits, ARC Raiders has opted for a simpler structure, believing it will support more enjoyable and varied matches. The developers emphasize that, after launch, they will carefully observe how rounds unfold and adjust matchmaking as needed to maintain a quality experience for all participants.​​

The studio remains committed to regularly monitoring gameplay balance and will consider player feedback in their matchmaking updates over time. The focus on fairness and transparency aims to ensure that matches remain interesting, high-quality, and accessible to both new and seasoned Raiders alike.​​