Arc Raiders and PvE-only play — what you can and can’t do at launch

Arc Raiders is built as a multiplayer extraction adventure where you contend with two constant threats: the ARC machines roaming a hostile surface and other Raiders hunting the same loot. That core loop is PvPvE by design. There isn’t a pure PvE-only mode at launch, and every topside run assumes other players may cross your path.

Arc Raiders release date and platforms

Launch is set for October 30, 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), and GeForce NOW. Cross-platform social play is supported across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Is there a PvE-only mode?

No. Arc Raiders launches without a dedicated PvE-only mode. Each deployment “topside” places you in a shared space where ARC machines and other player squads coexist. You can choose to focus on fighting the ARC, but you can’t disable PvP encounters or move into a private PvE shard.

Tip: Matchmaking prioritizes squads versus squads and solos versus solos. Going in as a trio tends to draw other trios; solo runs generally populate with other solos.

PvPvE basics: what you’re up against topside

Topside is where you seek loot and complete objectives, then extract before you’re overrun or ambushed. The ARC come in varied forms—small spider-like Ticks that leap from walls, airborne Snitches that call reinforcements if they spot you, and heavier units like Leapers and Bombardiers that punish open-ground movement. There are even towering boss-scale machines, including a Queen defending a Harvester structure. All of this plays out while other Raiders scour the same spaces for loot and exits.

Squads can be up to three players, but going solo is an option. Expect an ebb and flow: stealth, quick skirmishes with machines, tense stand-offs with players, and a final push to an extraction point.

How to play cooperatively and lower PvP risk

If you prefer fighting ARC over other players, you can nudge the odds in your favor—but you can’t eliminate PvP entirely. These tactics help:

• Join a squad (2–3 players). Team revive coverage and multiple angles make opportunistic attacks less attractive to other Raiders. With a squad, you can commit to ARC fights without becoming easy third-party targets.
• Communicate intent. Proximity voice chat lets you declare you’re friendly, broker temporary truces, or split boss loot. If you don’t use a mic, rely on the call-out system and emote wheel to signal your plans. It won’t stop every aggressor, but it reduces avoidable fights.
• Use fast extraction routes. Elevators and Raider Hatches provide exits once you’ve secured key items or finished an objective. A focused loop—down a target, grab what you came for, extract within roughly 15–20 minutes—limits exposure to campers and roaming squads.
• Pick your fights with the ARC. Snitches escalate quickly, Bombardiers punish static positions, and Leapers excel in open sightlines. Clearing intel threats first and moving between cover reduces noise and third-party pressure.

Note: None of this guarantees safety. The design intent is tension from other players entering your orbit at inconvenient times. Plan your loadout and route with that in mind.

Maps, conditions, and why timing matters

Early play centers on the Rust Belt, a region with multiple locations that rotate over time. You’ll start in Dam Battlegrounds—a mix of forests, swamps, research sites, and apartments—then branch into areas like Buried City’s sand-drowned downtown, the industrial Spaceport, and the mountainous Blue Gate. Special conditions can alter difficulty and rewards: Night Raids boost loot but ramp up ARC aggression; Harvest Season raises nature resource yields; events like Electromagnetic Storms or Hidden Bunkers change how you traverse and what you target.

For PvE-leaning runs, plan around conditions. Night Raids are lucrative but noisy; if you’re avoiding attention, choose windows with lower environmental chaos to reduce third-party risk.

Between runs: Speranza, progression, and gearing up

Speranza is the underground hub where you cash in, craft, and choose your next objective. Leveling grants skill points to tune your Raider for mobility, stealth, carry capacity, or gadget-heavy builds. Feats award Cred that unlocks cosmetics and rewards across evolving Raider Decks. You’ll upgrade and repair weapons in your Workshop, take quests from Traders to push the Rust Belt story, and chase weekly Trials for leaderboard standings and time-limited rewards.

Loadout flexibility is broad. Conventional firearms like automatic rifles and shotguns sit alongside energy weapons; attachments and upgrades deepen specialization. Gadgets—lure grenades to misdirect ARC, ziplines, mines, door blockers, flares, and more—solve specific topside problems. Shields and augments define your weight, stamina, and capacity trade-offs.

Two safety nets help you keep playing if you wipe: Free Loadouts offer a baseline kit at no cost, and Scrappy—your loot-collecting companion—can be trained and customized to ease the grind back to form.

Social features and cross-platform play

Arc Raiders supports seamless social play across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. You can drop in with friends regardless of platform or head out solo. An internet connection and an account are required, and age restrictions apply.

Could a PvE-only mode arrive later?

There’s no confirmed plan for a PvE-only playlist or separate mode. The game’s identity at launch is PvPvE extraction, and the systems—shared topside spaces, boss events, and extraction points—are tuned around that tension. Community feedback may influence future events or activity types, but players should treat PvPvE as the baseline.

If you’re chasing a co-op challenge with a constant layer of uncertainty, Arc Raiders leans into that pressure. If you need fully isolated PvE, it’s not offering that at launch. For everyone in between, smart squad play, clear comms, and quick extractions go a long way toward keeping the focus on the ARC machines—not the Raiders behind you.