How to Play ARC Raiders With Friends: Parties, Crossplay, and Account Setup

ARC Raiders supports crossplay between Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. To play together, each person needs an Embark ID, then one player adds the others from the lobby’s Social menu and sends a party invitation. Friend requests and party invites must be accepted before the players appear in the same squad.

The same Embark ID can also carry gear, progress, and cosmetics between supported platforms, but crossplay and cross-progression are separate features. This guide shows exactly how to set up an account, add friends, invite recent players, and avoid account-linking mistakes.

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What you need to play ARC Raiders with friends

Before sending an invitation, make sure every player has the following:

• A copy of ARC Raiders on Steam, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X|S.
• An Embark ID. ARC Raiders requires this account in addition to the platform account used to play.
• The correct Embark ID spelling for anyone you want to add manually.
• Access to the game lobby, where the Social menu and party controls are available.

Embark’s official Friends & parties guidance, last updated October 27, 2025, explicitly lists Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S for crossplay. The game’s official site also describes cross-platform social play across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. That means a Steam player can squad with a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S player without moving to the same platform.

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Menu labels can change with an update, so your screen may look slightly different. The relevant locations remain the lobby’s Social menu, the Friends and Recent tabs, and the party button above the play widget.

ARC Raiders crossplay: which platforms can play together?

The supported list is specific: Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Do not assume that an unlisted platform, an older console generation, or a different PC storefront can join the same crossplay pool unless Embark adds it in a later update.

Crossplay answers the question “Can we enter the same game from different platforms?” It does not tell you whether your progress follows you between those platforms. That is a separate account feature covered below.

Examples of supported combinations

A Steam player and a PlayStation 5 player can add each other by Embark ID, accept the friend request, and then form a party. The same is true for a Steam-and-Xbox pairing or a PlayStation 5-and-Xbox pairing. A group can therefore mix all three explicitly listed platforms, provided each person is using the correct Embark ID and accepts the relevant invitations.

Platform ownership and social identity are separate. Your Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox username is not the identifier the Add Friend form asks you to enter. Use the Embark ID shown in the game or account interface, then double-check the result before sending a request.

Set up or link your Embark ID

Every player needs an Embark ID to play ARC Raiders. Embark’s account-creation instructions, updated June 16, 2026, provide two routes: create an ID when the game first launches, or link an existing ID.

Create an Embark ID on first launch

1. Start ARC Raiders on your chosen platform.
2. When the game displays the Embark ID prompt, follow the on-screen account-creation steps.
3. Complete the account process and return to the game.
4. Give friends the exact Embark ID shown in your account or Social screen. Treat capitalization, spacing, and any identifying characters as significant when entering another player’s name.

This creates the account that the game uses for social features and saved player data. Your console or Steam login remains the platform account; the Embark ID is the game account that connects supported platforms and players.

Link an existing Embark ID

1. Launch ARC Raiders on the new platform.
2. Choose the option to link an existing Embark ID instead of creating another one.
3. Sign in with the Embark account that already contains your ARC Raiders data.
4. Confirm the platform connection only after checking that you are using the intended Embark ID.

Embark describes the ID as storing gear, progress, and cosmetics and supporting movement between the listed platforms without losing that progress. That is the basis for cross-progression. It does not automatically mean that every purchase, entitlement, or platform-specific item transfers in every possible account-linking situation, so verify an item’s terms before changing accounts.

Why the first-launch choice matters

If you already played on another supported platform, creating a new ID at first launch can put you in a separate account rather than returning you to your established profile. Before selecting a button, identify whether you are a new player or an existing Embark ID holder. If the game presents more than one sign-in path, use the one that matches the account containing your saved ARC Raiders data.

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For a completely new player, the first-launch creation flow is the ordinary starting point. For a returning player, linking the existing ID is the safer way to keep one account identity across platforms.

How to add a friend by Embark ID

The standard method is to send a friend request from the lobby. The other player must accept it before the connection appears as an accepted friendship.

1. From the ARC Raiders lobby, select Social in the lower-right corner.
2. Open the Friends tab.
3. Select Add Friend, shown near the upper-right area of the Friends screen.
4. Enter the other player’s Embark ID exactly as provided.
5. Send the friend request.
6. Ask the recipient to open their social notifications or friend requests and accept it.

After acceptance, the player should be available through the Friends list for party invitations. Sending the request alone does not place either person in a squad.

Use a reliable ID exchange

Ask your friend to read the ID from the game’s account or Social interface rather than typing a nickname from memory. If multiple results appear, compare the identifying details shown by the game before sending the request. A request sent to the wrong account cannot be used to invite the intended player.

For a group, have everyone exchange IDs before sending requests. One host can add each person, or players can add one another. The important part is that every request reaches the intended Embark account and is accepted by its owner.

If the request is pending

A pending request normally means the recipient has not accepted it yet, not that crossplay is unavailable. Have the recipient check the game’s friend-request area, confirm that both players are signed into the intended Embark ID, and then refresh the Friends view by leaving and reopening the Social menu if necessary. The official instructions require acceptance; they do not define a separate approval step on the platform store.

How to invite a friend to your party

Once the friend request has been accepted, invite the player from the lobby.

1. Remain in the ARC Raiders lobby.
2. Find the circle containing a plus sign above the play widget.
3. Select that party control.
4. Choose the friend you want to invite.
5. Send the invitation.
6. Have the recipient accept the party invitation.

The friend joins only after accepting. Once the player appears in your party, check that the correct names are present before starting a round. A party invitation is different from a friend request: the first connects accounts in the Friends list, while the second asks a player to join the current squad.

Invite a recent player without adding them first

You can also form a squad with someone from a recent round without first making them a permanent friend.

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1. Open Social from the lobby.
2. Select the Recent tab.
3. Choose the player from the recent-player list.
4. Select Invite to Party.
5. Wait for that player to accept the invitation.

The Friends & parties instructions state that this route does not require a friend request first. If you want to keep playing together later, you can send a friend request from the same player entry, but it is optional for the immediate party invitation.

Friend request versus party invitation

These are two separate actions with different purposes. A friend request creates an ongoing connection in the Friends list after acceptance. A party invitation is a request to join the current lobby squad. A player can therefore be a friend without being in your current party, and a recent player can receive a direct party invitation without first becoming a friend.

If the goal is a one-time follow-up match, the Recent route is the shortest supported path. If the goal is to find the person again later, accept the party and then send a friend request as a separate step.

Crossplay and cross-progression are not the same

These terms describe different account states, and confusing them can lead to the wrong setup.

You can use crossplay without ever moving between platforms. For example, a Steam player and a PS5 player can remain on their own hardware and still party up. Cross-progression matters when one person changes from one supported platform to another and wants the same ARC Raiders account data.

Embark’s account-creation guidance supports the broad statement that gear, progress, and cosmetics are stored with the Embark ID. It is safer to treat that as account-level data rather than a promise that every store purchase or entitlement is interchangeable across every platform account.

Three common setup scenarios

• Same platform, first session: Each player creates or links an Embark ID, exchanges those IDs, accepts friend requests, and uses the party button.
• Mixed platforms, first session: Follow the same Social steps; the platform difference does not change the supported friend-request route.
• Returning player on a new platform: Link the established Embark ID rather than automatically creating another one, then verify the expected profile before inviting anyone.

Only the third scenario involves cross-progression. The first two use crossplay and social features while each player remains on their original platform.

Account-linking cautions before you switch platforms

Check which Embark ID is signed in before linking a new platform. Creating a second account by mistake can split your progress and make the wrong account appear empty.

Embark’s account-management guidance also warns about third-party accounts that are already associated with another Embark ID. It cautions that unlinking all third-party game accounts can permanently delete the Embark ID and its progress or cosmetics. Do not unlink accounts casually to solve a party or login problem.

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Use this safe order when changing platforms

1. Write down or otherwise verify the Embark ID that currently contains your ARC Raiders progress.
2. Sign in to the official Embark account-management area and inspect the linked accounts before making changes.
3. Stop if the platform account is already linked to a different Embark ID or if the site presents a deletion warning.
4. Use current official account-management support for the exact case rather than trying to merge, unlink, or relink accounts repeatedly.
5. After a confirmed link, launch ARC Raiders and check that the expected profile, gear, progress, and cosmetics are present before disconnecting anything else.

There is no safe general instruction to “unlink everything and start over.” The warning about possible permanent deletion makes account identity the first thing to verify.

A complete first-session workflow

If your group is starting from different platforms, this sequence minimizes confusion.

1. Confirm platform support. Verify that every player is on Steam, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X|S.
2. Confirm account identity. Each player signs into the intended Embark ID, either newly created at first launch or linked from an existing account.
3. Exchange IDs. Each person copies their Embark ID from the game instead of relying on a platform-only username.
4. Send requests. One player opens Social, chooses Friends, selects Add Friend, and enters the others’ Embark IDs.
5. Accept requests. Each recipient accepts the pending friend request.
6. Open the party panel. The host selects the circle with a plus sign above the play widget.
7. Send party invitations. The host chooses the accepted friends and sends invitations.
8. Accept party invitations. Each invited player confirms the invitation.
9. Check the lobby. Confirm that the intended players appear in the party before launching the round.

For a player encountered in a previous round, skip steps three through five for the immediate session: Social, Recent, select the player, and choose Invite to Party. Add the player afterward if you want them on your Friends list.

What the host should verify

The host should check the party panel after each acceptance rather than launching immediately after sending invitations. This confirms that the invitation was accepted and that the intended account joined. If one person is missing, resolve that individual’s pending request or invitation before restarting the entire setup.

When an invitation does not work

Use the symptom to identify which part of the process needs attention.

The player cannot be found

• Recheck that the name entered is the Embark ID, not merely a Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox username.
• Confirm that both accounts are signed into the intended Embark IDs.
• Verify that both players are on one of the three platforms explicitly listed for crossplay.
• Ask the friend to provide the ID again from the in-game account or Social screen.

The request was sent but the friend is not listed

• Have the recipient accept the pending request.
• Close and reopen the Social menu to refresh the Friends view.
• Check that the request was sent to the correct account if several names looked similar.

The party invitation is pending

• Ask the recipient to accept the party invitation; an invitation does not join a player automatically.
• Return to the lobby party panel and verify that the invitation went to the intended friend.
• If the player came from a recent match, use Social, Recent, and Invite to Party again rather than assuming a friend request is required.

The account has unexpected progress or a linking warning

Stop changing links. An account may already be associated with another Embark ID, and Embark warns that removing all third-party links can permanently delete the ID and its saved progress or cosmetics. Use official account-management support for that account’s specific history.

The available official setup guidance does not establish a universal party-size limit, a specific crossplay-toggle location, voice-chat instructions, or a platform subscription requirement. Those details may depend on the current game build and platform settings; do not treat an unverified menu or number as a required step.

Fast checklist before you start a round

• Every player is on Steam, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X|S.
• Every player has an Embark ID and the correct platform account.
• Anyone switching platforms has linked the intended Embark ID, not a newly created duplicate.
• Friend requests have been accepted, unless you are inviting a recent player directly.
• Party invitations have been accepted.
• The expected players are visible in the lobby party panel.
• No one is unlinking accounts to solve a social-menu problem.

Embark’s own Friends & parties page opens with the line, “Friends who raid together, stay together.” In practical terms, the process is simple: use supported platforms, connect each player to an Embark ID, add friends or select a recent player, and wait for acceptance at each invitation step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Steam, PS5, and Xbox players play ARC Raiders together?

Yes. Embark’s Friends & parties guidance explicitly lists Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S for crossplay. Each player still needs an Embark ID and the relevant platform account.

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Do I need an Embark ID to play ARC Raiders?

Yes. ARC Raiders requires an Embark ID in addition to your Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox account. Create one at first launch or link an existing ID.

How do I add someone by Embark ID?

From the lobby, open Social, choose Friends, select Add Friend, enter the player’s Embark ID, and send the request. The recipient must accept it.

How do I invite a friend to my ARC Raiders party?

From the lobby, select the circle with a plus sign above the play widget, choose the friend, and send the party invitation. The player joins after accepting.

Can I invite someone I recently played with without friending them?

Yes. Open Social, choose Recent, select the player, and use Invite to Party. Embark’s instructions say a friend request is not required for this direct invitation.

Does crossplay mean my progress transfers to another platform?

No. Crossplay lets players on supported platforms play together. Cross-progression is separate and uses the Embark ID to retain described gear, progress, and cosmetics when switching among supported platforms.

What should I do if the game shows the wrong progress after linking?

Stop unlinking or relinking accounts. Check which Embark ID contains your data and review the linked accounts in Embark’s account-management area. Embark warns that removing all third-party links can permanently delete an ID and its progress or cosmetics; use official support for the specific account history.

Is there a confirmed party-size limit or required voice-chat setup?

The cited official setup guidance does not specify a universal party-size limit, voice-chat configuration, crossplay-toggle location, or platform subscription requirement. Check the current in-game menus and platform support for those details.

The Bottom Line

To play ARC Raiders with friends, keep every player on Steam, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X|S, make sure each person is using the intended Embark ID, and work from the lobby’s Social menu. Add friends through Friends > Add Friend and wait for acceptance, or invite a recent player directly through Recent > Invite to Party. Crossplay brings different platforms together; cross-progression is the separate feature that carries described gear, progress, and cosmetics between supported platforms. Verify account links before switching, and never unlink every third-party account casually.

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