ARC Raiders Guide: Enable Offline Mode on PC, Xbox, and PS5

[EMmABakER199]

Let’s clear something up right from the start: ARC Raiders does not have a true, built-in offline gameplay mode. It’s designed from the ground up as an online-only, multiplayer extraction shooter. You won’t find a button to play with bots locally or pause the game while you grab a snack.

However, if you’re looking to slip under the radar because you just want some peace and quiet, or if you want to drop into a match completely by yourself without your friends list bothering you, there are a few clever workarounds. By combining platform-level privacy settings with the game’s matchmaking rules, you can effectively “appear offline” and enjoy a true solo experience.

The Cross-Play Catch: Because ARC Raiders relies heavily on your cross-platform Embark ID, using your console or Steam privacy settings will only hide you from friends on that specific platform. If you have friends on other systems, they might still see you active on the in-game Embark friends list. Keep that in mind if you’re trying to hide completely!

How to Appear Offline on PC (Steam)
Changing your Steam status is the easiest way to give yourself some breathing room on PC, though keep an eye out for a minor bug where an “Offline for X minutes” activity log can sometimes show up right next to your name if friends check your profile directly in-game.

Open your Steam Client.

Click Friends in the top menu bar.

Select Invisible from the drop-down menu.

Launch ARC Raiders and start playing.

How to Appear Offline on Xbox Series X|S
Adjusting your system privacy settings on Xbox will seamlessly mask your active game status from fellow Xbox players on your dashboard.

Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide.

Select your Profile & system picture in the top right corner.

Click on your profile name, then scroll down to select the status drop-down menu at the bottom.

Select Appear offline.

How to Appear Offline on PlayStation 5
Setting your PlayStation Network status to offline will instantly hide your live gaming session from everyone else on your PSN friends list.

Go to the PS5 home screen and select your Profile icon in the top right.

Select Online Status.

Choose Appear Offline.

How to Play Solo in ARC Raiders
Once you’ve sorted out your privacy settings, it’s time to handle the actual matchmaking. Even though you cannot spin up a local server, the developers actually built a dedicated solo-friendly queue system. This system actively isolates single players and places them into lobbies away from pre-made, highly coordinated three-person squads, making solo survival viable.

Disable Squad Fill: When you are gearing up for a raid at the main menu, look closely at the matchmaking configuration panel. Make sure to toggle off the “Fill Squad” option. This stops the game from auto-assigning random teammates to your party.

Turn Off Crossplay (Optional): If you want to strictly limit the number of players who can track you via cross-platform IDs, open your settings menu, head over to the Gameplay tab, and toggle Crossplay to Off. This further narrows down your exposure and keeps your session as isolated as possible.

[Author]

Posts