ARC Raiders is a conditional buy for solo PvE-minded players. You can queue alone and spend your time fighting ARC machines, scavenging, crafting and completing quests, but the standard online game still allows other Raiders to attack. If solo PvE means a guaranteed AI-only lobby, private match or offline campaign, do not buy on that assumption: Embark’s October 13–20, 2026 PvE matchmaking test has ended, and the developer has not promised it will return.
Buy the Standard edition when machine combat and extraction progression outweigh the risk of hostile players. Wait when a permanent PvE-only queue is the deciding feature, and pass when you need offline or pause-anytime play.
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Free plan / price | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buy Standard | Solo players who accept possible PvP | Solo queue; normal online extraction game with ARC enemies and other survivors | No free plan; current price varies by storefront and region (not stated) | Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, GeForce NOW | Oct 2026 |
| Wait for PvE clarity | Players who require a guaranteed PvE-only queue | October test ended; future availability undecided | No purchase recommendation until the mode’s status is clear | Same platforms if a future queue is added | Oct 2026 |
| Pass | Players who need offline, private or solo-story play | No single-player mode; internet and account requirements apply | Do not buy for this use case | Online platforms only | Oct 2026 |
What is the buying decision for a solo PvE player?
The deciding question is not whether you can enter a match alone; you can. It is whether you can enjoy an extraction game whose solo runs may include human opponents. ARC Raiders’ store description presents solo and parties of up to three as party-size choices while warning that machines and other survivors share the world.
A solo queue therefore solves party formation, not PvP avoidance. You still face the uncertainty of extraction, the possibility of losing run value, and the choice of whether to engage, evade or leave when another Raider appears. That tension is part of the documented game loop, but whether it enriches or ruins a PvE-focused session is a personal threshold.
Buy Standard when these statements are true
- You want to fight ARC machines, search for materials, craft, improve skills and work through trader quests.
- You can tolerate an occasional hostile player, even when your own goal is PvE progression.
- You are comfortable with an online extraction structure rather than a fixed, offline campaign.
- You want the core game and do not need cosmetics or extra Raider Tokens.
Wait when this is your non-negotiable
- You will only buy if Embark restores a dedicated PvE matchmaking option.
- You want every map and special condition available without player damage.
- You do not want to pay before the developer decides what happens after the October experiment.
Pass when your requirement is offline or private play
Nexon describes online servers and no single-player mode. Embark also requires an internet connection, an Embark ID and an account on the relevant third-party platform. Those requirements rule out an offline story campaign and a private, pause-anytime interpretation of “solo.”
What does “solo” mean in ARC Raiders?
Solo is a permitted party size in the regular online game. It does not create an AI-only lobby, remove other players from a map or guarantee that a squad will not contest your route.
What you can do alone
You can launch without a premade group, pursue machine fights, collect resources, craft, follow trader quests and develop your skills. The October Frozen Trail update added Pendola Pass, Bully, Skulker and Hydra enemies, two weapons, a changed skill tree, an Outpost and 22 quests, giving a new buyer substantial PvE-oriented content to investigate.
What solo does not provide
Solo does not mean offline progression, a locked private lobby or immunity from player-to-player damage in the ordinary queue. It also does not promise that a run will be quiet: another player can be pursuing the same loot or extraction opportunity.
Accounts, connection and platforms
The listed access points are Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and GeForce NOW. The game is online-only in practical terms: plan for the required internet connection, an Embark ID and a platform account before purchase. A platform listing or cloud-access option should not be read as a separate single-player mode.
Is the PvE-only toggle available now?
No. Embark’s limited PvE matchmaking test ran from October 13 through October 20, 2026, and the developer announced on October 20 that it had ended. The announcement said the team needed to analyze the results and feedback; it did not announce a permanent queue.
“We don’t yet know what the outcome of the data analysis will be,” the ARC Raiders Team wrote on October 20, 2026.
The original test explanation was equally cautious. Executive producer Aleks said on September 24 that “This test is not a promise that there will be a PvE mode in the future.” Embark expected to share more information in November, so an older guide describing the toggle is historical documentation, not evidence that the option is live.
Can you rely on a future return?
No. The developer described feedback as polarizing and has not committed to bringing the toggle back. A buyer who needs PvE-only matchmaking should wait for an explicit current announcement rather than treating the October experiment, developer interest figures or the number of test rounds as a guarantee.
What happened during the October PvE test?
The test is useful for understanding what a potential PvE queue might look like, but its rules were temporary. They should not be presented as the current rules of ARC Raiders or as promises for a future mode.
| Test element | What happened from October 13–20, 2026 | What it means for a buyer now |
|---|---|---|
| Player damage | Player-to-player damage was disabled. | The normal queue still should not be assumed to have this protection. |
| ARC enemies | ARC machines remained threats. | PvE combat was still the central activity rather than a risk-free tour. |
| Loot | Overall loot value was lower than in the regular experience. | Do not assume a future PvE queue will use normal loot rates. |
| Party sizes | Different party sizes shared sessions. | The experiment was not a promise of perfectly matched solo-only lobbies. |
| Excluded conditions | Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection were excluded. | “PvE available” did not mean every map condition or activity was included. |
The test also demonstrates why “PvE mode” is not a single feature. Damage rules, loot value, matchmaking composition and activity coverage all affect whether the option suits a particular player. Even if Embark restores a queue, read its exact rules instead of assuming the October configuration returns unchanged.
What PvE content remains attractive without a permanent PvE queue?
The PvE case does not disappear when the toggle ends. Normal matches still contain ARC combat, scavenging, crafting, trader objectives and skill progression. The Frozen Trail additions provide a concrete example of the type of content a solo player can pursue, but update notes establish availability, not a quality score or a promise that every session will remain uncontested.
Machine combat and exploration
ARC enemies create the predictable part of a run: you can plan around their locations, behaviors and rewards while exploring for supplies. Human players add the unpredictable part. A solo PvE buyer should decide whether the first layer is valuable enough to justify occasionally dealing with the second.
Crafting, quests and progression
Scavenged materials feed crafting, while trader quests and skills give reasons to return beyond a single extraction. This progression can make solo play meaningful even when a run ends early, but the game still uses an online extraction structure rather than a linear campaign with guaranteed completion.
Frozen Trail’s additions
On October 8, 2026, Frozen Trail added Pendola Pass; the Bully, Skulker and Hydra enemies; two weapons; a changed skill tree; an Outpost; and 22 quests, among other additions. These are relevant reasons for a PvE-oriented player to examine the current game, not evidence that the game has become offline or PvE-only.
How should you compare your PvP tolerance with the game’s other risks?
Use this checklist before paying. It separates a preference question from a feature requirement.
- Rate your reaction to an unexpected player. If one encounter can invalidate the entire purchase for you, the current normal queue is a poor fit until Embark confirms a permanent alternative.
- Decide whether extraction tension is appealing. The loop asks you to value a run, choose when to leave and accept that progress can be interrupted or lost. If you want relaxed, repeatable PvE with no loss pressure, waiting will not solve the offline requirement; another game type may fit better.
- List the PvE activities you actually need. ARC fights, scavenging, crafting, trader quests and skills are present in normal play. If your priority is a specific excluded condition from the October test, do not assume it will be supported by a future queue.
- Separate core content from edition extras. Deluxe adds cosmetics and 2,400 Raider Tokens to the base game. There is no documented Deluxe-only PvE entitlement, so paying for the higher edition does not address the matchmaking question.
- Set a waiting rule. If a dedicated PvE queue is essential, wait for an explicit Embark announcement and current store details rather than buying on speculation.
What changed in 2026, and which dates matter?
Several announcements can be confused with a current PvE promise. This timeline keeps them separate.
- January 27, 2026: Embark introduced an optional level-40 Solo vs Squads queue for skilled players seeking additional PvP challenge. That historical patch note is not evidence that the queue is still available now.
- October 8, 2026: Frozen Trail launched with Pendola Pass, new enemies, weapons, a changed skill tree, an Outpost and 22 quests, among other additions.
- October 13–20, 2026: The PvE matchmaking toggle test disabled player damage, reduced overall loot, mixed party sizes and excluded Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection.
- October 20, 2026: Embark confirmed that the limited-time test had ended and that it would analyze the results and feedback.
- October 27, 2026: Live Update 2.3.0 added a new player project and fixes. It was not an announcement that a permanent PvE queue had returned.
- October 29, 2026: Embark announced a separate official physical-gear collaboration. It did not create a physical game edition or alter the game’s modes.
Which edition should a solo PvE buyer choose?
Choose Standard when evaluating whether the game loop suits you. Steam describes Deluxe as the base game plus cosmetics and 2,400 Raider Tokens. No documented Deluxe benefit grants PvE matchmaking, removes hostile players or adds offline play.
| Edition | Documented contents | Solo PvE implication | Price guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Base game | The relevant edition for judging ARC combat, extraction and matchmaking tolerance | Check the buyer’s storefront and region; current price not stated |
| Deluxe | Base game, cosmetics and 2,400 Raider Tokens | No documented PvE-only entitlement or offline feature | Check the buyer’s storefront and region; current price not stated |
Prices vary by storefront and region, so do not convert a euro-denominated listing into a US price or assume a promotion continues. The edition decision is secondary to the mode decision: neither listed edition changes the fact that the October PvE test ended.
What do player figures and reviews actually tell you?
Embark reported a player-playstyle breakdown of 37% friendly co-op players, 27% mixed players and 34% pure PvP players in 2026. These are rounded developer categories, not a census of solo purchasers, and they should not be forced to sum to exactly 100%.
Embark also said 51% of surveyed players were interested in a dedicated PvE option. That figure describes surveyed players, not every owner or every solo buyer. More than 30 million PvE rounds were played during the test, but rounds are not unique players and do not establish that a permanent mode will return.
Steam’s listing showed 81% positive from 204,201 English reviews and 72% positive from 8,756 recent reviews when observed on October 29, 2026. Those live aggregates change and do not isolate solo PvE satisfaction. Treat them as broad community sentiment, not proof that the game meets a no-PvP requirement.
What should you verify before checkout?
- Confirm that the listing is for the platform you use: Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S or GeForce NOW.
- Read the current Embark news feed for a decision on the PvE toggle; the October test is over.
- Check your regional price and edition contents directly on the relevant storefront.
- Make sure you can use an internet connection, an Embark ID and the required platform account.
- Buy Standard first in your decision-making unless cosmetics and Raider Tokens independently matter to you.
Bottom line
ARC Raiders earns a conditional yes for a solo player who wants ARC combat, scavenging and progression and can accept that other Raiders may attack. It is a wait for anyone who needs a guaranteed PvE-only queue, because Embark has ended the test and has not promised a permanent replacement. It is a pass for anyone seeking an offline campaign or private, pause-anytime solo play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I switch between PvE and PvPvE during a match?
No mid-match conversion was promised. The October experiment was a matchmaking choice made before entering a session, and with that test ended, you should not expect an active toggle that lets you move between protected and normal sessions on demand.
Why were some activities missing from the October PvE test?
Embark’s test rules explicitly excluded Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection. The announcement did not establish that those exclusions were permanent design decisions, so a future mode would need its own activity list.
Do positive Steam reviews show that solo PvE is a safe purchase?
They show broad sentiment across the game’s audience, not satisfaction among players who avoid PvP. Review totals and percentages also change over time, so they cannot answer the specific question of whether a player will tolerate human opponents in solo runs.
When should I check again for a dedicated PvE option?
Embark said it expected to share more information in November after analyzing the test and feedback. Check an official announcement close to purchase time, then verify the queue’s damage rules, loot values, party matching and activity coverage rather than relying on an old guide.