ARC Raiders Announces New “Shared Watch” Event Launching February 10

Embark Studios has officially announced a new limited-time event for ARC Raiders, titled Shared Watch, set to begin on February 10. Unlike previous events, Shared Watch places a clear emphasis on the game’s PvE elements, while also encouraging a significant shift in how players interact with one another during raids. Since its launch in 2025, ARC Raiders has consistently refreshed its gameplay loop through rotating map conditions and time-limited events, but this marks the first special event explicitly built around cooperating with strangers.

As a PvPvE extraction shooter, ARC Raiders has always given players full control over how they engage with both the environment and other raiders. Players can choose to be hostile, neutral, or cooperative toward fellow survivors roaming Speranza. However, Shared Watch appears intentionally designed to tilt that balance toward cooperation, nudging players to rely on teamwork rather than confrontation.

ARC Raiders Reveals the Shared Watch Event 🤝

Event Details

• Start Date: February 10
• End Date: February 24
• Primary Focus: PvE

The Shared Watch event was revealed through a short teaser clip on Twitter, confirming that the event will run for two weeks, from February 10 through February 24. Based on Embark Studios’ messaging, PvE combat is at the core of the event’s design.

“You watch my back, I’ll watch yours,” the official announcement reads, followed by a clear directive: team up with strangers, turn your barrels on the machines, and earn rewards along the way.

The teaser showcases two raiders forming an impromptu alliance mid-match, working together to take down ARC machines, revive one another, and even play music using in-game instruments. These moments have fueled speculation within the community about how far the event’s cooperative mechanics may go.

Fan Speculation Around Shared Watch 🎥

Following the reveal, players quickly began theorizing about what Shared Watch could introduce mechanically. Some believe the event may allow solo players to temporarily form duos with random strangers, enabling more structured cooperation without pre-made squads.

Others suggested the event could be tied to a photo or cinematic-style mode, citing the teaser’s unusually artistic tone compared to previous promotional clips. However, that theory appears unlikely, as the event description clearly emphasizes teaming up to fight ARC machines, rather than simply capturing moments or visuals.

At this stage, Embark Studios has not confirmed whether Shared Watch introduces any new systems or mechanics beyond incentivized cooperation.

Community Backlash and PvE Concerns 🔥

Despite the cooperative theme, Shared Watch has already sparked significant backlash across ARC Raiders’ social media platforms. A quick glance at community responses reveals hundreds of comments criticizing the continued absence of a dedicated PvE-only mode.

Some players argue that Shared Watch feels like a pseudo-PvE solution, designed to discourage PvP encounters without actually offering a true non-PvP experience. Others have pointed out that matchmaking quality appears to have declined, claiming that cooperative-minded players are increasingly placed into lobbies dominated by aggressive raiders.

There are also concerns that the event could be exploited by PvP-focused players. One highly upvoted comment reads:

“I can see a lot of PvP players asking to team up just to shoot you in the back.”

Similar worries have echoed throughout the community, with many once again urging Embark Studios to introduce permanent PvE or non-PvP playlists, rather than relying on temporary events like Shared Watch to influence player behavior.

February 10 Brings More Than One Change ❄️

Adding to the significance of February 10, Embark Studios has also confirmed the return of Cold Snap, one of ARC Raiders’ most popular map conditions. With both Shared Watch and Cold Snap going live on the same day, players can expect a noticeably different gameplay experience compared to recent weeks.

Developer Note

After the Shared Watch event concludes, ARC Raiders’ next major event will be the second Expedition project.

This suggests that Shared Watch is part of a broader content roadmap, with larger-scale activities already planned for the near future.