Arc Raiders brings players together across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC with comprehensive cross-platform functionality. Whether you're planning to team up with friends on different systems or want to switch between platforms yourself, understanding how these features work is essential for making the most of your raiding experience.
Platform Connectivity in Arc Raiders
The extraction shooter supports full cross-play functionality between all available platforms. PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC players can all join the same sessions and team up regardless of their hardware choice. This system is designed to maintain a healthy player population and ensure that finding teammates or opponents remains straightforward across the game's lifecycle.
Setting up cross-platform play requires using your Embark ID, which serves as your universal identifier across all systems. When adding friends from other platforms, you'll need to navigate to the Friends menu and select the Add Friend option. The Embark ID includes four unique numbers at the end that must be included for the friend request to go through successfully.
Cross-Play Settings and Limitations
Cross-play is enabled by default when you start playing Arc Raiders. Players who want to team up with friends on different platforms won't need to adjust any settings before sending invitations or joining sessions together.
However, the cross-play toggle comes with specific limitations that console players should understand. The toggle can be found in Settings, under the Gameplay section, where the Cross-play option appears. Console players who disable cross-play will only be matched with other players within their specific console ecosystem.
The only way to avoid playing with PC users is to disable cross-play entirely, which restricts matchmaking to your own platform exclusively. This limitation has been confirmed through the Q&A section of the Arc Raiders Discord channel. The developer, Embark, has indicated they will monitor fair play and cheating concerns, though the system does not provide console players with the option to specifically exclude PC players while still maintaining cross-play with other console platforms.
For players who enable cross-play, the wider matchmaking pool should result in faster queue times and more potential teammates. Those concerned about competitive balance or potential cheating on PC will need to weigh these factors against the reduced player pool that comes with disabling the feature.
Cross-Progression System Details
Arc Raiders includes full cross-progression support tied to your Embark account. This means that character progress, unlocks, and gear will transfer automatically between platforms as long as you remain signed into the same Embark ID.
Players can start their game on one platform and continue on another without losing any progress. If you begin playing on PlayStation 5, your save data, character development, unlocked items, and collected gear will all be available when you log into the same Embark account on PC or Xbox Series X/S. The same applies regardless of which platform you start on.
The cross-progression system maintains all aspects of your character development. This includes your current level, any equipment you've acquired during raids, completed objectives, and earned rewards. You can freely move between platforms and pick up exactly where you left off.
Platform Purchase Requirements
While progress carries over between platforms, the game itself must be purchased separately for each system you want to play on. If you own Arc Raiders on PlayStation 5 and want to play on PC, you'll need to purchase the PC version as well. The same requirement applies for any combination of platforms.
The game is priced at $40 per platform. This means players who want to maintain access across multiple systems will need to make multiple purchases. However, once you own the game on a given platform, your progress will always be accessible there when signed into your Embark account.
Xbox Play Anywhere Support
Xbox players have one significant advantage regarding platform purchases. Arc Raiders supports Xbox Play Anywhere, which means purchasing the game on Xbox provides access to both the Xbox console version and the PC version through the same purchase. This also extends to compatible handheld devices that support Xbox Play Anywhere titles.
This feature eliminates the need for Xbox players to buy the game twice if they want to play on both Xbox Series X/S and PC. However, players who want to access their progress on PlayStation 5 would still need to purchase that version separately.
Team Composition and Platform Diversity
The post-apocalyptic setting of Arc Raiders presents significant challenges for solo players. The game's dangerous enemies can quickly overwhelm individual raiders, and groups of other players can ambush you while you're carrying valuable loot. Having a coordinated team significantly improves your chances of successfully extracting with your gear intact.
The cross-play system ensures that you can form these teams with friends regardless of their platform choice. You won't need to convince your entire friend group to buy the game on the same system, and players who own multiple platforms can join sessions on whichever system is most convenient at any given time.
Managing Your Embark Account
Your Embark account serves as the foundation for both cross-play and cross-progression features. This account is required to log into the game regardless of which platform you're using. When you want to enable cross-progression, ensuring you're signed into the correct Embark account is the only requirement.
The Embark ID associated with your account is your unique identifier for friend requests and cross-platform play. Remember that this ID includes four specific numbers at the end that differentiate it from other similar usernames, and these numbers must be included when sending or receiving friend requests.
Switching Between Platforms
Players who own the game on multiple platforms can switch between them at any time. There are no cooldown periods, no restrictions on how frequently you can change platforms, and no risk of losing progress when moving between systems. As long as you're signed into your Embark account, your character data will be immediately accessible.
This flexibility allows players to adapt to their circumstances. If you primarily play on console but want to join a PC friend for a session, you can make that switch seamlessly. If you start a gaming session on your home console but need to finish it on a different platform later, your progress will be waiting for you.
Platform-Specific Considerations
While the core functionality remains consistent across all platforms, players should be aware that purchasing the game multiple times represents a significant investment. At $40 per platform, playing across all three major platforms would require a $120 total expenditure for players without Xbox Play Anywhere benefits.
Console players should also carefully consider their cross-play preferences before starting. The inability to filter out PC players while maintaining cross-play with other consoles means that concerns about keyboard and mouse advantages or potential cheating require an all-or-nothing decision on cross-play functionality.
The developer's commitment to monitoring fair play suggests awareness of these concerns, though the specific anti-cheat measures and how effectively they'll address platform-specific advantages remain to be seen during the game's actual operation.
Getting Started with Cross-Platform Features
Setting up for cross-platform play is straightforward. Once you have the game on your preferred platform and have created your Embark account, cross-play is already enabled. To add friends from other platforms, you simply need their complete Embark ID including the four-digit identifier.
If you decide you want to play on multiple platforms, you'll need to purchase the game on each additional system. After purchasing, simply log in with your existing Embark account, and all your progress will be immediately available. The Xbox Play Anywhere exception means Xbox and PC can be covered with a single purchase for eligible players.
For players who want to disable cross-play, the setting is easily accessible through the Gameplay menu. Remember that disabling this feature will limit your matchmaking pool to your specific platform only, which may result in longer queue times depending on the population distribution across platforms.
Final Considerations
Arc Raiders provides comprehensive cross-platform support that allows players to team up with friends and maintain their progress regardless of hardware choices. The cross-play system connects PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC players in shared sessions, while cross-progression ensures your character development carries over between any platforms where you own the game.
The main limitations to be aware of are the requirement to purchase the game separately on each platform (except for Xbox Play Anywhere between Xbox and PC) and the inability for console players to enable cross-play exclusively with other consoles while excluding PC players. These factors should be considered when planning how you want to experience the game and which platforms you want to invest in.
For players willing to work within these parameters, the cross-platform features ensure that you can play with your friends and access your progress wherever is most convenient, whether that's on your home console, a gaming PC, or switching between multiple systems as your circumstances require.