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Arc Raiders Aggression Matchmaking: How Embark Studios Is Sorting Looters From Killers

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

The Algorithm of Intent

Embark Studios finally stopped playing coy about how their machines sort the digital wheat from the tactical chaff. Patrick Söderlund basically handed the Reddit theorists a victory lap by confirming Arc Raiders employs aggression-based matchmaking. This system attempts to bucket the bloodthirsty PvP enthusiasts away from the folks who actually want to scavenge in peace. If you spend your time hunting players, you get a lobby of hunters. If you’re there for the loot and the atmosphere, the algorithm tries to find you a kindred spirit who won’t shoot you in the back the second a rare component drops. It is a bold move for an extraction shooter, a genre that usually thrives on the total lack of safety, but Embark is clearly trying to manage the salt levels of its growing player base.

Arc Raiders - Matchmaking tune up picture
Arc Raiders – Matchmaking tune up

Extraction Etiquette and the Predator Problem

The CEO admitted the system is hardly a perfected science. It functions as a secondary layer beneath the standard skill-based parameters and party-size filters. The logic is simple: the game tracks your propensity for violence. A week ago, this invisible hand started nudging the “kill on sight” crowd toward their own private hells. It aims to address the viral chaos of retired pros dunking on casuals, but it raises questions about how the game defines intent. If you only fire in self-defense, the system might still struggle to differentiate you from the aggressor. The tension of the extraction genre relies on that unpredictability. Sanitizing the experience too much could strip the game of its actual edge, turning a tense standoff into a predictable chore.

Arc Raiders - PvPvE hit of 2025 picture
Arc Raiders – PvPvE hit of 2025

The post Arc Raiders Aggression Matchmaking: How Embark Studios Is Sorting Looters From Killers appeared first on Game Reviews, News, Videos & More for Every Gamer – PC, PlayStation, Xbox in 2026.

The Grand Strategy and Space Extraction Era: Epic’s First Weekly Drop of 2026

The holiday sprint has officially cooled down, and Epic is swapping the daily chaos for a much more manageable weekly rotation. Yesterday’s final 24-hour gift, Chivalry 2, is no longer up for grabs, but the replacement is a heavy-hitting double feature. From today, January 1, until January 8 at 11:00 AM ET, you can claim both Total War: THREE KINGDOMS and the sci-fi newcomer Wildgate for zero dollars. This shift signals a return to form for the storefront, moving away from “mystery” reveals back into a predictable schedule that actually gives you time to play the games you’re hoarding.

Total War: THREE KINGDOMS

This is arguably the most polished entry in the long-standing strategy franchise, set during the legendary collapse of the Han Dynasty. It isn’t just about moving thousands of soldiers across a map; it’s a character-driven epic where personal rivalries and diplomatic betrayals dictate the fate of ancient China. The “Romanticized” mode turns your generals into superhuman warriors capable of taking on entire units solo, while the “Records” mode keeps things grounded in historical realism. If you happen to miss the free week on Epic, the Steam Store is currently running an 80% discount through January 5, and the G2A Marketplace (affiliate link) often has keys for roughly $9.00, making it a resourceful pickup even after the giveaway ends.

Total War - 3 Kingdoms massive straegy picture
Total War – 3 Kingdoms massive straegy

Wildgate

Providing a sharp contrast to the slow-burn strategy of the Three Kingdoms, Wildgate is a 2025 arrival that focuses on high-stakes PvPvE extraction in deep space. You and your crew are dropped into hostile sectors where you have to balance hunting for ship upgrades against the threat of rival players and lethal environmental anomalies. The combat is a hybrid of first-person shooting and tactical ship-to-ship maneuvering, requiring genuine coordination to survive the extraction phase. While the Epic giveaway is the best current deal, the Steam Store has it for 60% off until next week. If you’re looking for a second chance later, G2A typically lists keys around $1.80, which is basically pocket change for a modern sci-fi title.

Wildgate - Multiplayer FPS Adventure picture
Wildgate – Multiplayer FPS Adventure

A Resourceful Start to the Year

Securing these two titles adds over $90 of retail value to your library for nothing, covering both the grand-scale strategy and the competitive shooter niches. Total War provides a campaign that can easily eat up a hundred hours of your January, while Wildgate offers a fresh loop for your weekend squad sessions. Make sure you hit the claim button before the next rotation on January 8 to start 2026 with a significantly more valuable library.

Wildgate - Gameplay screenshot picture
Wildgate – Gameplay screenshot

The post The Grand Strategy and Space Extraction Era: Epic’s First Weekly Drop of 2026 appeared first on Game Reviews, News, Videos & More for Every Gamer – PC, PlayStation, Xbox in 2026.

Dark Age of Camelot turns Ellan Vannin into a PvP free-for-all for Midwinter

9. Leden 2026 v 21:00
If you’d enjoyed running around on Ellan Vannin in a peaceful celebration, you’d better get ready for what Dark Age of Camelot has done to the region. That peace has been shattered and players are now faced with an open PvP zone flagging anyone not in your group as an enemy, complete with ruined towers for […]

End-of-Year Eleven: The most surprising MMO news stories of 2025

3. Prosinec 2025 v 17:00
Welcome to the end of the year, everyone! Somehow we all got here, seriously, and that means it’s time for our annual roundup of stories and events over the last year. I’m sure that some of these will have people saying that they were not surprised by anything that happened over the course of 2025, in […]

Albion Online breaks down the causes of its performance issues and resolves to address them with new tech

25. Listopad 2025 v 00:00
Has your time in Albion Online been good from a performance standpoint? Judging by a forum thread published by technical director Jon, the answer would be “no,” but he also offers some explanations about the problem and promises to solve them. In summary, performance issues are a three-pronged problem caused by client lag, server lag, […]

Camelot Unchained’s new ability showcase video isn’t winning back skeptical fans

24. Listopad 2025 v 17:30
Before we begin, we’re still not sure of the specific date for when Camelot Unchained will kick off its early access beyond sometime before the end of this year; we’re not even sure it’s still happening, and technically, Unchained Games didn’t promise it. However, the PvP sandbox MMORPG is still pushing out video previews, with […]

The Stream Team: Bounding back into Jumping Jazz Cats

22. Listopad 2025 v 01:55
Massively OP’s MJ played the demo before, but now she’s leaping into the unrestricted version of Jumping Jazz Cats. What crazy antics can she discover in the full game? Just how fluffy can she make her kitty? These are all very important questions that will be answered when you tune in live at 8:00 p.m. […]
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