Arc Raiders announces wild new 'Solo vs Squads' mode, out tomorrow

It's certainly an interesting premise, though how it'll play out in practice remains to be seen

Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios revealed details for the game's Headwinds update, the first major update of 2026 for the popular extraction shooter. So far, players have responded with a mix of excitement and bewilderment.

Headwinds launches tomorrow, Jan. 27, and the most baffling of its various new features is easily the new Solo vs Squads matchmaking mode, which does exactly what it says on the tin. Available only to Raiders level 40 and up, Solo vs Squads sees solo players earn additional XP for joining the queue as a solo player facing off multiple three-player squads. Obviously, this isn't a mode for the faint-of-heart (nor for the inexperienced).

On social media, Arc Raiders players are already making their voices heard.

"This is honestly just a mode basically catered to streamers and no-lifers," one user wrote on the ArcRaiders subreddit. "They could have done a minimum gear value so we don’t have to fight free kits constantly. I’m bummed out for sure."

"I can't see this mode appealing to more than a tiny minority of the player base," another player agreed. "The people who can play and survive solo vs squads are not the people camping extracts, faking friendly or ratting big arc events so this changes nothing for all the PvE whiners either."

Some players are placing their trust in Embark's vision, however — or at least reserving judgment until Headwinds goes live.

"Who knows, maybe Embark has some data showing that its mainly people below [level] 40 who use free kits not that makes the decision a whole lot better," an optimistic Raider shared. "But im sure they had some logic behind it. Right?"

As for Embark Studios, the Arc Raiders dev has only provided a small amount of detail regarding the new mode via a Headwinds-focused blog post on its official website.

"It is now possible to test yourself as a solo in a lobby of squads," the blog post reads. "Will you be a hunter, a silent assassin, or a hidden looter? With extra XP on offer for joining as a solo against squads, all options are on the table."

No word yet on how many solo players will be in Solo vs Squads, though the matchmaking mode's title suggests they may be only one solo player in each match. As for Headwinds, the update also includes a new feature called the Trophy Display Project, which gives players the ability to show off their accomplishments (like taking down The Queen or The Matriarch) and earn "valuable rewards" for doing so. Additionally, once Headwinds goes live, the Buried City map will have a new minor map condition called Bird City, in which nests full of loot appear on the rooftops of the Buried City's buildings, meaning players will likely find "a lot of valuable loot in chimneys."