Arc Raiders is testing a new way to play in its Chinese build, and it changes the core rule that defines the game everywhere else. A map condition called Rebellion Incident lets everyone in a lobby start as functional allies, with no damage dealt between human players unless someone deliberately opts in. This is the closest the extraction shooter has come to a built-in PvE-leaning experience, and it exists only on the separate version of the game co-developed for China in partnership with Tencent.
Quick answer: In Rebellion Incident, you cannot harm or be harmed by other raiders until you press the in-game option to start a "rebellion." Doing so unlocks your attacks against players but instantly marks you in red on the compass and map for the entire lobby, while overall loot density is raised to offset the lower PvP risk.
How the Rebellion Incident map condition works
By default, every raider who drops into a Rebellion Incident match is treated as an ally. Damage output against other humans is set to zero, so you can move, loot, and fight the AI machines without worrying about being shot by another player. The threat in this state comes entirely from the ARC robots on the map.
To attack other players, you have to actively trigger a defection. There is a dedicated option to start the rebellion, and pressing it is a conscious choice rather than something that happens by accident. The moment you do, the game broadcasts your betrayal to everyone in the match.
Once you go rogue, a permanent red marker appears on the compass and the in-game map for all other lobby members. That marker stays with you, so every remaining raider knows exactly where the hostile player is. The design echoes the rogue-and-manhunt loop of The Division's Dark Zone, where going hostile invites the rest of the lobby to hunt you down.
Why China gets an opt-in PvP system
The Chinese client runs under its own ISBN license and is built to match local play habits and rules. Non-consensual PvP is treated cautiously there, with many games asking players to deliberately opt into player-versus-player combat or to stay inside a default PvE framework. Rebellion Incident fits that pattern. By forcing you to consent before you can attack, the mode keeps the surface peaceful unless someone chooses otherwise.
To balance the reduced danger from other humans, the map condition increases resource density. The result is a lower-risk, higher-reward loop aimed at newer players and those who prefer to focus on the environment rather than other raiders. Some testers have described Rebellion as a low-difficulty mode for that reason, since the ARC machines are generally easier to handle than skilled opponents.
The other Chinese-build map conditions
Rebellion Incident is not the only experimental condition in testing. A second one stacks two boss enemies on a single map at the same time, sharply raising the AI threat and pushing players toward cooperation. It has been referenced under names like Double King, Double Queen, and The Two Queens, and it pairs the Queen with the Matriarch while dropping extra supply.
Testers have also mentioned new gear surfacing in the Chinese build, including a healing grenade and an acid grenade. None of this has been tied to a specific release outside that version.
What this means for the global version
The standard global build of Arc Raiders keeps its always-on, high-stakes PvPvE structure, where the constant threat of other raiders is central to the appeal. That formula has driven strong sales, with more than 14 million copies sold worldwide by early 2026 and a large share of active players logging well over 100 hours. The Chinese changes mark a clear split between that global experience and the regional one.
None of the Rebellion Incident, dual-boss, or new grenade content has been announced for the Western release. Embark has shifted to two major content drops per year, starting with the Frozen Trail update planned for October 2026, which it describes as featuring its largest map yet. That cadence leaves room for bigger features, but there is no confirmed plan to bring the China-exclusive PvE systems to other regions.
For now, the opt-in PvP loop lives only inside the Chinese test client, and players elsewhere have no direct way to access it. You can keep up with the base game and its platforms through the official Arc Raiders site.