According to current information, ARC Raiders appears to be turning its attention to expanding into Asian market. From offering free trials in South Korean internet cafes to the recent announcement that Tencent and Embark will collaborate to create a brand-new version of ARC Raiders for Chinese servers.
Nexon officially announced in late May 2026 that ARC Raiders would be closed beta testing in China, with Tencent acting as the local publisher and localizing the game.
This Chinese client uses an ISBN license and infrastructure completely independent of the global servers, giving Tencent considerable freedom to experiment with various changes and new mechanisms tailored to the local market.
The test trailer has already surpassed one million views on Chinese platforms, demonstrating strong regional interest, which is a positive sign for Embark, which wants to expand its market presence in China.
The newly revealed test version includes not only two new map scenarios, one of which even features a new mode that has sparked much discussion among players - a selectable PvP system.
Below, this website will offer a detailed breakdown of this Chinese test server, which has sparked intense discussions among players around the world.
Rebellion Incident - Selectable PvP
Unlike traditional ARC Raiders, Rebellion Incident doesn't differentiate between PvP and PvE based on player inclination towards conflict or match feedback. At its core, Rebellion Incident is a selectable PvP mode.
It disables player-versus-player combat by default, creating a low-risk, high-reward looting environment for PvE-oriented players while retaining competitive gameplay for PvP enthusiasts.
In Rebellion Incident, all players are allies by default, and damage to other players is zero. This means every match is a pure cooperative PvE experience. Players can interact and communicate amicably, cooperate against ARC, and immerse themselves in looting without fear of being ambushed.
Its core feature - selectable PvP - means that PvP hasn't disappeared, but become an option. If you want to play PvP, you can actively choose Rebellion. Upon selecting Rebellion, your inventory will light up with a red warning light, and you will be immediately and permanently marked as a hostile traitor by all players in the lobby.
Simultaneously, a server-wide announcement will be made, alerting all participants to the traitor's presence.
To compensate for the threat posed by traitors, Rebellion Incident significantly increases resource density and loot quantity. This targeted compensation mechanism aims to lower the entry barrier for new players and those who prefer pure PvE.
Reports indicate that Rebellion Incident is being tested on the low-difficulty Dam Battlegrounds map, with player community reactions being clearly polarized. For international ARC Raiders players, the threat from hostile players is a core part of the game experience, but for PvE enthusiasts, this feature is practically tailor made for them.
Furthermore, as of May 2026, ARC Raiders has not yet released a way to completely exit PvP in matches on the international server. Therefore, the selectable PvP system appearing on Chinese server reflects a significant divergence in design philosophies.
Dual Boss Mode - Two Queens Boss Condition
Besides Rebellion Incident, another new map condition is Two Queens Boss Condition.
In this mode, the two most powerful ARC Bosses currently facing ARC Raiders, Queen and Matriarch, will appear simultaneously on the map. In the international version of ARC Raiders, Matriarch typically only appears in specific map conditions and spawns at fixed locations depending on the battlefield.
This time, players will face both Queen and Matriarch simultaneously, significantly increasing the difficulty of any expedition.
To balance this encounter, additional Supply Drops will reportedly rain down, providing players with the resources needed to cope with the onslaught. This includes all ARC Raiders Items dropped by Queen and Matriarch in the international version, rare blueprints, various types of ammunition, backpack armor, and consumables such as grenades.
This mode appears to be designed to test high-intensity endgame PvE scenarios, providing a challenging alternative for players who prefer cooperative boss battles to intense PvP.
It's worth noting that this isn't the only recent development regarding bosses. In a recent interview, Aleksander Grøndal, executive producer of ARC Raiders, revealed that Embark is actively developing "several very large new ARCs" for future updates. These new enemies will combine familiar appearances with entirely new designs.
Grøndal emphasized that the team doesn't want boss battles to become too formulaic, meaning future content will exceed player expectations.
Why is Chinese version different?
Many players are curious why Chinese servers are designed so differently. In fact, this is the result of careful consideration by the developers. In April 2026, State Press and Publication Administration of China approved ISBN for ARC Raiders, the biggest regulatory hurdle to overcome before entering Chinese market.
Nexon's Q1 2026 financial report shows that ARC Raiders has sold over 16 million copies globally, with an increase of 4.6 million copies in Q1 alone, making it the company's most successful new product launch to date. Over half of active players have played for more than 100 hours, and the total playtime for all players has now exceeded 1.5 billion hours.
However, the success of the global version doesn't necessarily mean the same gameplay will be popular in Chinese market.
Localizing for Chinese players typically requires adjusting gameplay mechanics to suit local gaming habits: higher loot drop rates and minimal PvP threat - these adjustments aim to lower the barrier to entry for ARC Raiders into a new market.
One interesting point of discussion is that currently Chinese and international servers are completely separate, meaning Chinese players won't be matched with international players.
Some players speculate whether the two servers will eventually be interconnected, allowing players from both sides to enter the same match. While there's no definitive answer to this question, it certainly sounds like a promising feature.
Furthermore, after learning about the adjustments made to Chinese test server, the player community has shown a strong desire for the aforementioned two maps, especially players who enjoy PvE modes and those who scavenge for high-value loot.
Players have therefore raised the question with the official team: will these experimental mechanics eventually be included in the international version of ARC Raiders?
While the answer is currently unclear, as these mechanics are still in the experimental stage, given the numerous calls from international players, it wouldn't be unreasonable to hope that Embark will incorporate them into the international version of ARC Raiders if the experiments prove successful.
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