Crossplay in Arc Raiders connects players across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, which speeds up matchmaking but also mixes very different hardware and input setups. Turning it off lets you limit raids to your own platform so you can focus on a more consistent competitive environment, especially on console.
How to turn off crossplay Arc Raiders in the in‑game settings
Arc Raiders includes a built‑in crossplay toggle in its settings. This works on all platforms and is the main way to control whether you join mixed-platform lobbies.
Step 1: From the Arc Raiders main menu, open the Settings menu.
This is the cog or gear icon typically shown near the bottom of the screen. Open it to access gameplay, audio, and video options.
Step 2: Go to the Gameplay tab.
The Gameplay tab groups options that affect how matches work, including online behavior such as matchmaking and crossplay.
Step 3: Find the Online section.
Scroll within the Gameplay tab until you see the Online area. This section controls how Arc Raiders connects you to other players.
Step 4: Toggle Crossplay to Off.
Select the Crossplay setting and switch it from On to Off. This tells the game to avoid mixed-platform lobbies and to seek matches only on your current platform.
Step 5: Return to the main menu and confirm the status text.
Go back to the main screen and look near the Play button. The status text should show something like Crossplay: Off, confirming that the change applied correctly.
How to turn off crossplay Arc Raiders on Xbox system settings
On Xbox, system‑level privacy controls can block cross‑network play for your whole account. This is useful if any in‑game crossplay toggle is unavailable, greyed out, or not behaving as expected.
Step 1: Open the Xbox Settings app.
Press the Xbox button, move to the profile and system tab, and choose the Settings option. This opens the console’s configuration menu.
Step 2: Go to Account.
In the left‑hand menu, select Account. This section manages account, sign‑in, and privacy options.
Step 3: Select Privacy & online safety.
Choose the Privacy & online safety item to access communication, multiplayer, and content restrictions for your Xbox profile.
Step 4: Open Xbox privacy.
Pick the Xbox privacy option. This shows either presets like “Adult” or “Child” or a custom profile for your account.
Step 5: Switch to a Customised profile if needed.
If your current privacy preset does not let you change detailed options, select the Customised profile so you can modify individual multiplayer permissions.
Step 6: Choose View details & customise.
Open View details & customise to see all the privacy categories that you can adjust, including communication and multiplayer features.
Step 7: Select Communication & multiplayer.
Enter the Communication & multiplayer category, which controls how your account interacts with other players and networks.
Step 8: Set You can join cross-network play to Block.
Find the option labeled You can join cross-network play and change it to Block. This stops your profile from joining games that mix Xbox players with users on other platforms, which effectively turns off crossplay for Arc Raiders and other titles.
Step 9: Test Arc Raiders matchmaking with crossplay blocked.
Start Arc Raiders again and queue for a raid. Matchmaking should now search only for Xbox‑only lobbies that respect your cross‑network setting.
How to turn off crossplay Arc Raiders on PlayStation
On PlayStation, the primary control for Arc Raiders crossplay sits inside the game’s own settings. There is no specific console‑wide “cross‑network play” toggle equivalent to the Xbox setting described above.
Step 1: Open Arc Raiders and go to the main menu.
Start the game on your PlayStation console and wait until you reach the main lobby screen, where you can start raids.
Step 2: Enter Settings and open the Gameplay tab.
Select the Settings icon, then move to the Gameplay tab. This is where Arc Raiders stores online and matchmaking options.
Step 3: Turn Crossplay to Off under Online.
Locate the Crossplay setting in the Online section and set it to Off. After that, Arc Raiders will only match you with other PlayStation players who have also opted out of crossplay.
Step 4: Verify crossplay status on the main menu.
Return to the Play screen and check for the crossplay status text under or around the Play button. It should confirm that crossplay is disabled.
How to turn off crossplay Arc Raiders on PC
On PC, Arc Raiders crossplay is controlled purely in-game. Turning it off keeps you in PC‑only lobbies but still within Arc Raiders’ overall matchmaking design.
Step 1: Launch Arc Raiders and reach the main menu.
Start the game from your launcher and wait until the main lobby appears. Stability here helps ensure settings changes are applied properly.
Step 2: Open Settings and choose the Gameplay tab.
Click the cog icon to open Settings, then select the Gameplay tab to access online and crossplay options.
Step 3: Disable Crossplay in the Online section.
Look for Crossplay under the Online category and set the toggle to Off. This limits matchmaking to PC players who have also disabled crossplay.
Step 4: Confirm crossplay is off before queueing.
Return to the lobby and check the text near the Play button so that you do not accidentally queue into mixed-platform raids.
What changes when you turn off crossplay Arc Raiders
Switching off crossplay in Arc Raiders changes how the game builds your lobbies. The impact depends on platform, region, and time of day, but there are consistent trade‑offs to expect.
| Aspect | With crossplay ON | With crossplay OFF |
|---|---|---|
| Matchmaking pool. | Includes players on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. | Limited to players on your own platform. |
| Matchmaking time. | Usually shorter because more players are available. | Can become longer, especially in low‑population regions or off‑peak hours. |
| Input variety. | Mix of controller and mouse/keyboard players. | On console, only controller players; on PC, still mixed inputs but same platform. |
| Hardware disparity. | Console players may face higher‑frame‑rate PCs. | Consoles match against same-platform hardware; PCs stay within PC-only lobbies. |
| Playing with friends on other platforms. | Fully supported as long as crossplay remains on. | Disabled; cross‑platform friends cannot join until you turn crossplay back on. |
Arc Raiders has no input‑based matchmaking at the moment, so controller and mouse/keyboard players can be placed in the same lobby. Console versions do not support keyboard/mouse directly, but PC players using different inputs can still appear in mixed-platform matches unless you turn crossplay off on console.
When it makes sense to disable crossplay in Arc Raiders
Crossplay does not have a single “correct” setting; it depends on what you value most in your matches. Certain preferences and situations strongly favor switching it off.
Step 1: Prioritize platform fairness for competitive play.
If you mainly care about reducing large hardware differences in competitive encounters, turning crossplay off on console keeps you in console‑only lobbies. This avoids facing players on high‑refresh‑rate PCs with potentially much higher frame rates.
Step 2: Consider your region’s player population.
In regions with a strong console or PC player base, you can usually afford to disable crossplay and still get acceptable queue times. In smaller regions, the reduced pool might slow matchmaking or give you more lobbies with high latency.
Step 3: Check whether you regularly play with cross‑platform friends.
If you often squad up with friends on different platforms, you will need to keep crossplay on for those sessions. You can always toggle it off again when you go back to solo or same‑platform play.
Step 4: Re‑evaluate after testing both modes.
A practical approach is to play several raids with crossplay on and several with it off, comparing queue times, latency, and how fair engagements feel. Use that experience to decide which setting fits your playstyle.
How to turn crossplay back on in Arc Raiders
Crossplay can be toggled on and off at any time. If you notice very long matchmaking times or want to rejoin friends on other platforms, simply reverse your earlier changes.
Step 1: Reopen Arc Raiders Settings and go to Gameplay.
From the main menu, open the Settings cog and move to the Gameplay tab, where the crossplay option lives.
Step 2: Set Crossplay to On in the Online section.
Switch the Crossplay toggle back to On so that your account can rejoin mixed-platform lobbies.
Step 3: On Xbox, optionally unblock cross‑network play.
If you previously blocked cross‑network play at the Xbox system level, retrace the path Settings > Account > Privacy & online safety > Xbox privacy > View details & customise > Communication & multiplayer and set You can join cross-network play back to Allow. This restores full crossplay for all your games.
Step 4: Confirm crossplay status on the main menu.
Return to the Arc Raiders main screen and check the status text near the Play button so you know you are again queued for cross‑platform matches.
Toggling crossplay in Arc Raiders is quick, and you can switch between platform‑only and mixed‑platform lobbies whenever your priorities change, whether that is shorter queues, more even hardware matchups, or playing comfortably with friends.
