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What solo play means in ARC Raiders
ARC Raiders is an online multiplayer extraction game. PlayStation’s official game page confirms that one Raider can go Topside alone, while also describing the game as online and multiplayer-only. Solo is therefore a way to enter without teammates, not an offline single-player campaign.
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The advantages below are reasons solo may fit a player’s preferences, not guarantees of safer runs, better loot, or higher extraction rates.
Seven reasons solo play may suit you
1. Your solo matchmaking profile is tracked separately
In its July 7, 2026 Live Update 1.36.0, Embark said it began tracking playstyles separately for solo, duo, and trio rounds. It used the example of friendly solo questing and plant-picking alongside more PvP-focused trio play. This gives solo rounds their own matchmaking profile rather than carrying your group-round behavior into them. It does not guarantee peaceful encounters or identical lobbies.
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![ARC Raiders Deluxe - PC Steam [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51I3Aj2PM0L._SL160_.jpg)
- 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.
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2. You can choose your own priorities
Without a squad to coordinate with, you can decide whether a run is about a quest, gathering materials, exploring, or pursuing loot. That flexibility follows from entering alone and from the questing and plant-picking activities Embark described; it is not a measured reward advantage.
3. You set the pace and route
You choose when to explore, steer clear of a fight, or head for extraction. That autonomy can make a run feel more deliberate, but it does not make solo runs inherently quicker or safer. The extraction objective and the risks attached to carrying loot still shape each decision.
4. You can focus on maps and threats
PlayStation describes four launch maps, changing conditions, varied enemies, and distinct machine tactics. Exploring alone can give you room to pay attention to routes and threats without coordinating every move. That may help you learn through focused runs, though no source establishes solo as the objectively best way to learn.
5. Your build choices can feel self-directed
PlayStation says Raiders spend skill points across survival, mobility, and conditioning paths. If you prefer experimenting around your own habits, solo play lets you make those choices without planning around teammates. It does not promise faster progression or a stronger build.
6. You can opt into a tougher solo-versus-squads challenge
Embark’s January 2026 Update 1.13.0 added Solo vs Squads for solo players who are level 40 or above. Eligible players can enter the Squads queue and receive a 20% XP bonus whether they extract or are defeated. Embark framed the option for experienced PvP players; it is not a general solo matchmaking setting for new players.
7. You can play when a regular squad is unavailable
The game supports entering alone as well as in teams of two or three, so you do not need to arrange a group for every session. This is convenient if friends are offline or you simply want to play on your own schedule. The session is still online multiplayer, with the possibility of encountering other Raiders.
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- 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!)
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- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
What solo does not remove
Going alone changes who makes decisions with you; it does not remove the game’s threats. ARC machines can attack, and other Raiders may hear combat: PlayStation notes that battle noise carries and players may listen for it. Choosing to avoid a fight is possible, but it is not a guarantee that a fight will not find you.
- ARC threats: hostile machines remain part of the Topside environment.
- Other Raiders: the extraction experience still includes potential PvP encounters.
- Loot and extraction risk: what you carry and whether you can extract remain consequential.
Solo play versus a temporary PvE test
As of October 7, 2026, Embark has announced a limited PvE matchmaking-toggle test scheduled for October 13–20, 2026. The announcement says solo, duo, and trio players can participate in the PvE experience during the test, after which the toggle will be removed. Executive Producer Aleks called it “at least initially, a limited test.” It is not evidence of a permanent PvE mode, and it should not be confused with regular solo play in the PvPvE game.
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In its September 24, 2026 announcement, Embark reported that 37% of players were friendly co-op players, 27% mixed players, and 34% pure PvP players; 51% of the surveyed playerbase expressed interest in a dedicated PvE option. Embark also reported that over 70% of friendly players and 40% of PvP players wanted fewer hostile encounters. The announcement did not state the survey sample size, so these are developer-reported figures, not independent estimates of all players.
Is solo the right way for you to play?
- Choose solo if you value independence, want to focus on your own objectives, or do not have a group available.
- Choose a squad if you prefer shared decisions and the coordination of playing with teammates.
- Consider Solo vs Squads only if you are level 40 or above and want the opt-in, higher-difficulty challenge described by Embark.
- Do not choose solo expecting offline play or a PvE-only run. Those are different from entering Topside alone in the regular game.
On PS5, PlayStation says online multiplayer requires PS Plus Essential; check its platform page for platform details.
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