Yes, ARC Raiders has full crossplay between PS5, Xbox, and PC. Crossplay is enabled by default, and every player lands in one shared matchmaking pool. There’s no console-only mode. That’s the catch most guides skip: you either play with everyone, including PC players on mouse and keyboard, or you turn crossplay off and wait in a nearly empty queue.
This guide covers how ARC Raiders crossplay and cross platform play work, how cross progression carries your account between systems, and what’s coming next for the game, including a possible PvE mode, a Switch 2 version, and the next new map.
Is ARC Raiders Cross Platform?
Yes, ARC Raiders is cross platform across PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), and GeForce Now. Every platform shares the same matchmaking pool. Embark Studios built the game around one account system called Embark ID, which links your profile across every platform you play on.
Crossplay is on by default. You don’t need to change any setting to team up with a friend on a different console or on PC.
Is ARC Raiders Crossplay With PC?
Yes, ARC Raiders crossplay includes PC players in the same pool as PS5 and Xbox. There’s no toggle that separates console players from PC players. If you leave crossplay on, you’ll face mouse-and-keyboard players in every match, since ARC Raiders doesn’t use input-based matchmaking to separate controller users from mouse-and-keyboard users.
This is the part that catches console players off guard. Many other crossplay shooters let you queue with same-platform players only, while still letting you party up across platforms. ARC Raiders doesn’t offer that middle ground. Your two options are full crossplay or crossplay off, and turning it off comes at a real cost.
Is ARC Raiders Crossplay Xbox and PC?
Yes, Xbox and PC players are matched together by default, along with PS5 players, in the same pool. Xbox owners can add PC friends through Embark ID and drop into raids together with no extra setup.
One thing worth noting: crossplay for Xbox players has been briefly disabled and restored at points during ARC Raiders’ post-launch patches, according to the game’s official patch history. Check the current patch notes on arcraiders.com if a specific match or friend invite isn’t working, since this kind of temporary platform issue does happen with live-service shooters.
How to Turn Off Crossplay in ARC Raiders
Turn off crossplay by opening Settings, then Gameplay, then toggling Cross-play to off. Xbox players have a second option: go to Settings, then Account, then Privacy & online safety, then Xbox privacy, then View details & customize, then Communication & multiplayer, and set “You can join cross-network play” to Block.
Disabling crossplay isn’t recommended. It shrinks your matchmaking pool to players on your exact platform who’ve also turned crossplay off, which is a small group. Expect longer queues, higher ping, and matches that start with fewer players than usual.
Is ARC Raiders Cross Progression?
Yes, ARC Raiders has full cross progression. Your Embark ID carries your character level, gear, cosmetics, Battle Pass progress, quests, and stash across every platform. Play on PS5 tonight and pick up the same account on PC tomorrow with everything intact.
Cross progression doesn’t include cross-buy. You need to purchase ARC Raiders separately on each platform’s storefront, with one exception: buying through the Microsoft Store unlocks both the Xbox and PC versions from a single purchase.
Setting up cross progression takes three steps:
- Open the friend menu next to the Play button and select Manage your Embark ID.
- Log in with your Steam, Epic Games, PlayStation, or Xbox account to link it to your Embark ID.
- Repeat the login step on each new platform you want your progress to follow you to.
The first time you launch ARC Raiders on a new platform, you’ll replay the short intro tutorial. After that, your full account loads normally.
How to Add Cross-Platform Friends in ARC Raiders
Find your Embark ID by clicking the “+” icon above the Play button, then selecting Manage your Embark ID. Your ID looks like a username followed by four numbers, for example Raider#1234. Share that ID with friends on any platform. They enter it under Add Friends in the party menu, and once you accept the request, you can party up and queue into raids together regardless of platform.
Is ARC Raiders Coming Out With a PvE Mode?
Not as a permanent, dedicated mode yet. Embark Studios ran a limited-time PvE-focused event called Shared Watch in February 2026, where kills and damage against ARC machines counted toward rewards while player-versus-player kills didn’t. Embark has also tested PvE-leaning mechanics in the Chinese version of the game, including a mode nicknamed “Rebellion Incident” that punishes players who attack others.
Embark Studios has stated it wants danger and unpredictability to stay part of every raid, so a full PvE-only mode that removes other players entirely isn’t something the studio has committed to. A survey Embark shared put roughly 30% of players in the PvE-focused camp, 30% in the PvP-focused camp, and the remaining 40% playing a mix of both. Expect more limited-time PvE events rather than a standalone permanent mode, at least for now.
Is ARC Raiders Coming to Switch 2?
No. ARC Raiders isn’t available on Nintendo Switch 2, and Embark Studios hasn’t announced any plans to bring it to the platform. There’s no confirmed release window or public roadmap mention of a Switch 2 version as of this writing.
Is ARC Raiders Coming Out With a New Map?
Yes. Embark Studios confirmed its next new map arrives in October 2026 as part of the Frozen Trail update, described as the largest map the game has had so far. This update also brings new ARC enemy types and new progression systems for players who’ve maxed out their current skill points.
Embark shifted its release cadence to fit this. Instead of monthly content patches, the studio now ships one large content update every six months, with smaller live updates, balance changes, and store refreshes continuing in between. The most recent new map before Frozen Trail was Riven Tides, a beachside map that launched April 28, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ARC Raiders have cross-progression?
Yes. Your level, gear, cosmetics, and stash all sync across platforms through your Embark ID.
Can PS5 and Xbox play together without PC players?
No. ARC Raiders only offers two options: full crossplay across PS5, Xbox, and PC, or crossplay off, which limits you to your own platform.
Is there cross-buy for ARC Raiders?
No, except through the Microsoft Store, where a single purchase unlocks both the Xbox and PC versions.
Does ARC Raiders have anti-cheat?
Yes. ARC Raiders uses Easy Anti-Cheat with kernel-level protection, and refunds lost gear automatically to players confirmed to have been killed by a cheater.
