Embark has published further details for Arc Raiders' next major update, Headwinds, which is scheduled to be downloaded on 27 January. The headline addition is a new matchmaking toggle designed to change how solo players are routed into group lobbies, and it arrives with an explicit incentive: extra XP for players who opt to enter matches solo amid organised teams.

Rock Paper Shotgun reported the full breakdown of the feature, noting that the new option is not mandatory and is intended to offer an alternative for players who prefer to play without a premade fireteam. The developer's stated aim is to balance matchmaking flexibility with progression incentives, encouraging solo participation in scenarios that were previously dominated by organised groups.

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Reaction among the community is mixed. Some players welcome the ability to queue solo without being forced into a purely solo-only pool, pointing to increased accessibility and shorter wait times. Others express concern that the XP boost may alter lobby dynamics, create perverse incentives to join mixed team compositions for reward rather than cooperation, or expose solo entrants to poor coordination and potential griefing.

Embark's framing of the system suggests a compromise approach: an opt-in toggle that rewards behaviour rather than imposing it. Details on matchmaking parameters and any additional safeguards remain limited in the published notes, leaving some questions about how the change will behave across different playlists and skill brackets.

The Headwinds update lands tomorrow and will be available for download on all supported platforms. The coming hours and days should reveal whether the extra XP carrot is sufficient to sway player habits in a game built around team-based PvE encounters, and whether the community's reservations translate into meaningful balance updates from the developer.

Rock Paper Shotgun provided the original report on the Headwinds update and the new matchmaking option.