Arc Raiders builds raids around party size. The system aims to keep solos fighting other solos and pre-made squads against squads. In practice, that means solo queues trend toward lobbies dominated by other solo players, while a full team of three is most likely to see other trios.
This isn’t a hard split. To keep queues moving, the game can mix compositions when needed. Duos, in particular, may run into trios from time to time. The intent is clear—limit lopsided encounters—but the game will flex these rules to fill a raid.
What actually affects your lobby
| Factor | Effect on matchmaking |
|---|---|
| Party size (solo/duo/trio) | Primary driver. Solos favor solos; squads favor squads. Mixing can occur to fill raids. |
| Gear/loot power | Not used. No gear-based matchmaking. |
| Player skill/level | Not a focus. No evidence of SBMM; current system centers on party size. |
| Input device | Not used. Controller and KB/M can mix when crossplay is on. |
| Platform | Mixed by default via crossplay. Turn crossplay off to stay on your platform only. |
| Raid timer | ~30-minute rounds. Most players join mid-raid; backfill lasts until late in the timer. |
No gear-based matchmaking
There is no gear or loot score matchmaking. Loadout power isn’t used to build lobbies right now. That’s by design: the current priority is keeping solos and squads on a level field whenever possible.
No skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) either
There’s no indication that skill-based matchmaking is active. Level, stats, or recent performance aren’t the drivers of who you face. The present system is centered on party size, not player skill.
No input-based matchmaking
Input type isn’t a filter. Controller and keyboard/mouse users are mixed by default when crossplay is enabled. On consoles, keyboard and mouse aren’t supported; disabling crossplay limits the lobby to your platform and, effectively, to controller users there.
Crossplay defaults to on (and what happens if you turn it off)
Crossplay is enabled by default to keep raids populated across platforms. You can disable it in-game if you prefer single-platform lobbies:
- Open Settings
- Go to the Gameplay tab
- In the Online section, turn Crossplay off
With crossplay off, you’ll only match with players on the same platform who also disabled crossplay. Expect longer queues, especially off-peak.
Pallav Pathak
Join-in-progress and backfilling are core to raid flow
Raids run on a global timer of roughly 30 minutes. You typically drop into a match already in progress rather than at the opening minute. Throughout the raid, new players backfill as others extract or are eliminated by Raiders or ARC drones. Backfill slows near the end of the timer, but you can’t assume the instance is empty until extraction is done.
Solo, duo, and trio: what to expect
Solo queue: You’ll mostly encounter other solo Raiders, with occasional duos or trios slipping into the instance depending on timing and population. Expect a steady trickle of new players joining mid-raid as others are knocked out or extract.
Duo queue: The game tries to place you against comparable groups, but duos may share space with trios. Treat duo play as flexible: third-party opportunities are common, and disengaging from full squads is often the safer call.
Trio queue: Full squads are most likely to face other trios. You’ll still see solos and duos in the mix as backfill happens late in the timer.
Right now, Arc Raiders keeps matchmaking simple: party size drives who you face; gear and skill do not. Crossplay is on to populate raids across platforms, join-in-progress is the norm, and backfill keeps the world busy until the final minutes. If you want cleaner platform pools, turn crossplay off and trade faster queues for tighter lobbies.
