At a glance

  • During the test, fights initiated by another squad no longer affect the defending squad's playstyle estimate.
  • The first squad to damage, down, or knock out a member is treated as the initiator; third-party entrants also count as initiators.
  • Fixes inconsistent Seeker and Wolfpack Grenade damage and allows Converging Paths trinkets to stack.
  • Updates Projects, map collision, stability, localization, and the start-screen presentation.

Player impact

Players who fight back after being attacked should no longer have that defensive encounter change their playstyle estimate during the test. Players who open a fight or join one as a third party remain part of the aggressive signal.

The experiment in plain language

Embark previously gave self-defense less weight than starting a fight when estimating a player’s preferred style. Version 1.39 goes further: during this test, defensive PvP has no effect on that estimate. Knocking out players who attacked first is included in the exemption.

The system operates at squad level. If another team damages, downs, or knocks out any member of your squad first, your entire squad is considered to be defending. The squad that lands the first qualifying action is treated as the initiator.

Not every incident carries the same weight. A long fight with heavy damage and multiple downs matters more than a stray hit or a short exchange that ends quickly. Joining an existing battle as a third party counts as starting a fight, even when neither original squad targeted the newcomer first.

Why it matters for extraction play

Extraction shooters create incentives that patch notes rarely capture: players signal peace, shadow another squad, bait a shot, or wait for two groups to weaken each other. This test tries to distinguish reactive combat from deliberately seeking it, which could change the matches players receive later.

Embark says it will monitor matchmaking data, watch how PvP develops, and gather player feedback. The Solo, Duo, and Trio tracking introduced in 1.36 and the optimization work from 1.38 remain active. That means 1.39 is another layer in an ongoing system rather than a complete replacement.

The developer has not published the underlying score, a guaranteed lobby type, or the test’s end date. Claims that the game now has separate peaceful and aggressive queues would therefore go beyond the official information.

Fixes players will notice sooner

Seeker Grenades and Wolfpack Grenades should no longer deal inconsistent damage. Trinkets introduced with the Converging Paths project can now stack like other trinkets, and their drops have been adjusted for more consistent looting across maps.

Dam Battlegrounds and Buried City receive collision, clipping, stuck-location, material, and out-of-bounds fixes. The update also addresses a startup crash after the photosensitive warning and a case where players could remain stuck in the end-of-round tunnel.

Projects receive clearer descriptions, previews, grouping, navigation, and timer presentation. Projects now unlock after five rounds, and completed stages can be reviewed. The official known-issues list still includes crashes affecting some Xbox players—particularly on Series S—along with animation, throwable, Quick Wheel, and damage-registration defects.

The time-limited crossover

The ARC Raiders and THE FINALS crossover remains active until July 30 at 3 PM CEST. Completing the required THE FINALS Contracts awards the Azimuth outfit and Archaeologist Backpack bundle in ARC Raiders. After that window, the direction reverses: playing ARC Raiders can earn the Azimuth bundle in THE FINALS.

Players interested only in the matchmaking test can wait for more data. Players who want the current crossover rewards have a fixed deadline and should prioritize those Contracts first.

Verification record

  • Official post: ARC Raiders Live Update 1.39.0
  • Official publication: July 28, 2026 at 09:00 UTC
  • Test status: Active experiment; no end date stated in the official notes
  • Unresolved issue: Some Xbox players, especially on Series S, may still experience crashes