Arc Raiders' new matchmaking option is a big letdown that almost nobody will use: "Solos vs Squads" lets you sign up to lose 1v3 fights in exchange for bonus XP

Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios has revealed the big Headwinds update coming to the game on Tuesday, January 27, and the leading act is a new matchmaking option exclusive to level 40+ players called "Solos vs Squads." It's exactly what it sounds like: high-level solo raiders can choose to jump into lobbies full of three-player teams if they are simply that desperate to die.

The point of this new mode is to add "higher-stakes encounters" to Arc Raiders, Embark says in a press release. "Experienced solo players" can opt into the squad queue for a little spice, and in return they'll get "bonus XP at the end of each run, regardless of outcome."

That last stipulation, "regardless of outcome," feels pretty telling. It may as well read: when you inevitably die because you have one gun, they have three, and last I checked three was more than one. Make no mistake, solo players are, by design, fated to lose in this mode. The odds are massively, demonstrably stacked against you, and I'm personally struggling to see the payoff.

Three-player lobbies are already more PvP-heavy compared to solo lobbies, and their loot is more contested. As a solo player going into the squad queue, you really are asking to get gunned down. If anything, many teams will likely be more willing to shoot on sight just on the off chance they've found a lone wolf. People already get frustrated when a trio happens to slip into a duo-focused lobby through matchmaking variance; signing up for an even greater disadvantage doesn't sound appealing.

Unless that bonus XP is absolutely massive, I would not expect most people to play this mode, if they touch it at all. Even then, loot is the focus with Arc Raiders, not XP, and this mode makes it significantly less likely you will successfully extract with loot as a solo player. You might feel differently if you're a stealth enthusiast who likes the thrill of evading everyone, a Twitch streamer who shoots everyone, or a PvP demon who thinks they can reliably beat three people.

There is some novelty to this mode, and it could make for interesting social interactions. Maybe that's enough. And in a way, it is nice to see that Embark is willing to try features that relatively few people will probably use. But I'm struck by a sense that Arc Raiders' first new matchmaking option won't move the needle – really, won't even register – for the vast majority of players. Since the Headwinds announcement, I've seen a lot of people excitedly discussing potential new modes that were all... not this. To some extent, it can't help but feel disappointing.

I'm more excited by the rest of the update, I'll tell you that. There's a "Bird City" minor map condition that covers Buried City in flocks of birds carrying shiny treasures, and a new project that lets you hand in Arc parts for bonus rewards including cosmetics and blueprints. There's also unquestionably good news for matchmaking: squad invite settings will allow your friends, not just the team leader, to invite people to lobbies, and open party settings will let people join directly.

Everything in the Arc Raiders Escalation roadmap.