Embark Talks Matchmaking Myths, Expedition Changes & Giant Arc

The Big Matchmaking Reveal

Ahead of the Shrouded Sky update (February 24th), PC Gamer sat down with Embark design director Virgil Watkins, and he cleared up a lot of confusion around how aggression-based matchmaking actually works.

This should put to rest a lot of myths. For the full deep-dive: complete guide to aggression-based matchmaking.

"Street Justice" and Emergent Chaos

Watkins described a real in-game moment:

A group of players were running around peacefully chatting. One went rogue and killed someone. Within seconds, the entire lobby descended on him and dealt out "street justice."

Embark loves this. They don't try to author these moments — they give players the tools and let them create stories. Players have also used silenced weapons to frame friendly players — shooting at the right moment so two peaceful players turn on each other. Exactly the kind of emergent chaos Embark hoped for.

Expedition System Is Getting Reworked

If you've been frustrated with the expedition reset grind, Embark knows.

The big one: When asked if players could carry a few blueprints across resets, Watkins said it's "certainly not off the table." They had the idea before launch. No promises, but they're listening. See our blueprints guide for what exists today.

Boss Loot: Designed for Squads, Not Servers

If you've been frustrated by Matriarch or Queen fights where almost nobody gets meaningful loot — here's why:

Those encounters aren't designed for the full server to participate and get equally rewarded. Watkins said they're intended for a couple of dedicated squads working together while managing other players as a threat. In friendlier lobbies, the entire server piles on — which isn't the intended design.

They're continuing to evaluate (they already adjusted core drop rates in the legs), but don't expect a fundamental change.

The Giant Arc on the Horizon

You know those massive Arc visible in the distance on Bluegate and other maps? The interviewer asked: what if one of those is actually a map — like you go inside it?

Watkins: "It's an easy idea to reach for, I can put it that way." Classic non-denial. He confirmed there's a roadmap for the rest of the year with new maps and new Arc, but wouldn't elaborate.

No Humanoid Enemies — By Design

Ever notice none of the Arc look human? That's intentional. Watkins gave three reasons:

1. Player silhouette clarity — you need to instantly tell players apart from enemies
2. Uncanny valley risk — humanoid AI that doesn't move perfectly looks terrible
3. It's been done to death — Embark gets more interesting gameplay from purpose-built alien platforms

Don't expect Terminator-style robot soldiers anytime soon.

No, the AI Isn't "Learning"

Some players think Arc enemies are adapting — Leapers squeezing into tighter spaces, Ticks grouping up more. It's not happening.

Watkins confirmed machine learning is only used to teach Arc how to walk and navigate terrain. All behaviors, attacks, and tactics are hand-designed. He took the speculation as a compliment to his designers.

Live Service Growing Pains

Honest behind-the-scenes from Watkins:

• Nobody expected this many players. 14 million copies and nearly 6 million weekly players caught them off guard.
• The team wasn't prepared for how often they'd drop feature work for emergencies — bugs, 8-hour DDoS attacks.
• The Burnt Peanut exploit situation was mostly coincidence — they already had a fix when it blew up. No "two-lane justice" for streamers.
• The countdown-to-a-countdown fiasco around Tech Test 2 taught them about managing expectations.

Weapons and Items Going Forward

Don't expect random weapon dumps. New weapons and items will be tied thematically and mechanically to whatever update they ship with — useful in the new content specifically. He didn't rule out simpler drops either. It's "needs-based" right now. Check our weapon tier list for the current meta.

Bonus: Why the Sound Design Slaps

Embark's audio director Ben Pure shared:

• Gun sounds are built around the fiction that weapons are repurposed junk — they discuss inner parts, then record based on that.
• They still do live gun recordings. No fully synthetic audio.
• Arc sounds blend mechanical noises with heavily processed animal sounds.
• The tension comes from contrast between mundane ambient sounds and sudden danger cues. Quiet moments keep you on edge.

If you've ever wondered why you can't play Arc Raiders while listening to a podcast — that's by design.

Related Guides

• Aggression-Based Matchmaking — full breakdown
• Expedition 2 Guide — 3M stash, catch-up system
• Expedition 1 Archive
• Weapon Tier List & Meta
• Map Conditions — events, bosses, conditions
• Troubleshooting Hub