Overview
- A public, week‑long PvE matchmaking toggle test recently concluded and Embark Studios is performing a detailed review of telemetry and player feedback before making any commitment.
- The studio says player reaction to the test was sharply polarised, with some players welcoming a low‑stress way to explore the Rust Belt and others fearing the mode would dilute the game's core tension.
- Embark warns a permanent PvE option could undermine the extraction shooter premise unless rewards and progression are tuned so that safer runs do not match the payout of PvP encounters.
- Developers are weighing distinct PvE designs — a chill side mode, an AI‑challenge mode, or a full PvE experience — because each choice carries different content, reward and live‑service implications.
- Embark points to the game's history of pivoting from a pure PvE looter to a PvPvE extraction shooter after earlier PvE sessions proved unsustainable, and says any final decision will prioritise the game's long‑term health and enjoyability.