ARC Raiders is an online multiplayer PvPvE extraction game. You can queue alone, but solo queue is not an offline single-player campaign: you enter an online raid where ARC machines are threats and other Raiders may cooperate, compete, or attack. Embark announced a separate PvE matchmaking test for October 13–20, 2026; as of October 7, 2026, it had not started.
Can you play ARC Raiders solo?
Yes. You can enter a raid by yourself rather than forming a squad. But you are still playing online alongside other players, not in a private single-player mode. The official ARC Raiders site describes it as a multiplayer extraction adventure, and PlayStation says online play is required on PS5: ARC Raiders – PS5 Games.
In a standard raid, you scavenge and explore while facing ARC machines and the possibility of meeting other Raiders. Those players may choose to cooperate, avoid you, or fight you. Going in alone does not remove that player-versus-player risk.
How PvPvE raids work
PvPvE means the raid combines player-versus-environment combat with possible player-versus-player encounters. The environment includes mechanized ARC enemies; other human players add uncertainty because their intentions are not fixed. You cannot assume a Raider you meet will be friendly, or that every encounter will turn hostile.
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- ARC Raiders Deluxe Edition includes the base game and the following content: The Wanderer Set, including the following cosmetic items: “Valente” Outfit" “Pathfinder” Backpack,“Blanket Roll” Backpack Attachment.
- Plus: Character Cosmetic, Finger Gun Rapid Fire Emote, Cowboy Scrappy Body Type and Skin, 2 400 Raider Tokens.
That mix is central to the standard experience: the same raid can involve fighting machines, dealing with other players, and deciding whether to cooperate or avoid conflict. Embark’s official game description outlines both threats on its ARC Raiders site.
Does matchmaking make solo play safe?
No. Embark says its matchmaking tries to place players with similar playstyles and, where possible, equal squad sizes. These are matchmaking goals, not guarantees; the developer says standard play has no PvE-only lobbies. A solo player can still encounter Raiders who are willing to attack.
Embark describes playstyle matching as a continuous scale rather than a strict split between friendly and aggressive players. It aims for similar past behavior, but preserves unpredictability. A single kill or encounter does not immediately define a player’s future lobbies; behavior affects matchmaking gradually. See Embark’s Notes on The Matchmaking System, published May 20, 2026.
Standard raids versus the announced PvE test
On September 24, 2026, Embark announced a temporary PvE matchmaking toggle test scheduled for October 13–20, 2026. The test is upcoming as of October 7, 2026, so its announced rules should not be mistaken for the standard experience available before those dates.
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Rank #3
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dyno herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
| Feature | Standard PvPvE | Announced PvE test, October 13–20, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Can Raiders damage one another? | Player-versus-player risk is part of the raid; Raiders may attack one another. | No. Player-to-player damage is disabled. |
| Squad sizes | Matchmaking tries to make equal squad sizes more likely, but does not guarantee it. | Solo, duo, and trio players share sessions. |
| Matchmaking choice | Standard playstyle and squad-size matchmaking applies. | Players can select classic PvPvE or a PvE experience focused on ARC combat and cooperation. |
| Conditions and loot | No exclusions or reduced loot value are specified here for the standard experience. | Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate, and Frigate are excluded; PvE loot value is lower to account for the relative safety. |
| How long it lasts | Standard matchmaking is the normal experience. | Limited test only. Embark says matchmaking will return to normal afterward; it has not promised a permanent PvE mode. |
These rules come from Embark’s September 24, 2026 announcement. The test is a time-limited experiment, and Embark says feedback and data will inform future decisions.
What Embark’s player figures do—and do not—show
In its September 2026 announcement, Embark reported that 37% of players were friendly co-op players, 27% were mixed players, and 34% were pure PvP players. It also reported that over 70% of friendly players and 40% of PvP players wanted fewer hostile encounters, while 51% of surveyed players were interested in a dedicated PvE option.
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- Chop down trees and mine metal and other precious resources to build massive multi-leveled structures composed of complex snap-linked parts
These are figures reported by Embark, not independently verified estimates of the full player population. The announcement does not state the survey sample size or methodology, so the percentages provide context about the developer’s reported findings rather than a precise measure of every player’s behavior.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the game has both PvE and PvP
Embark’s executive producer, Aleks, said: “We originally envisioned a raid-based PvE Co-op game with looting mechanics.” The same September 2026 announcement explains that the concept was reset into the PvPvE extraction adventure that ARC Raiders is today. That background helps explain why fighting ARC and cooperating with other players are part of the game’s design, while encounters with hostile Raiders remain possible in standard raids.
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