System Requirements and Performance Optimization#
ARC Raiders has launched on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, and supports GeForce NOW cloud gaming. This page summarizes the current state of each platform, optimization directions for PC players, and anti-cheat considerations.
Note: this guide did not obtain authoritative figures for the official PC minimum/recommended requirements. Check the Steam store page for exact specifications — this page makes no guesses.
Platform Support Overview#
| Platform | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PC (Steam / Epic Games Store) | Released | Primary platform; official requirements table on the store page |
| PS5 | Released | Cross-platform multiplayer supported |
| Xbox Series X|S | Released | Cross-platform multiplayer supported |
| GeForce NOW | Supported | Cloud gaming option for low-end hardware |
Pre-Launch Checklist for PC Players#
A few things are worth confirming before install and first launch:
- Anti-cheat component: the game uses kernel-level anti-cheat (Easy Anti-Cheat); first launch requires authorizing its driver installation — standard procedure for this kind of game, so just reboot as prompted afterward;
- Storage space: reserve plenty of disk space before installing; the exact size is per the store page;
- Account region: the Steam page offers 13 languages including Simplified and Traditional Chinese; choose as needed at install time;
- Cross-platform matchmaking: PC players share the field with PS5 and Xbox players; peripheral differences objectively exist in long-range firefights, and movement plus cover awareness can compensate.
Low-End Option: GeForce NOW#
Players with insufficient hardware have two paths:
- Cloud gaming: GeForce NOW support lets the game run smoothly on low-end devices, provided the network is stable — extraction shooters are sensitive to input latency, and network fluctuation directly affects combat feel;
- Reduce rendering load: resolution, post-processing, and shadows are the usual performance hogs; lower them one at a time and watch the framerate gain to find the balance between image quality and smoothness (in-game quality preset names depend on the actual build).
Local Hardware vs. Cloud Gaming#
The boundary between the two routes is clear:
| Dimension | Local hardware | GeForce NOW |
|---|---|---|
| Input latency | Lowest, best combat feel | Directly constrained by network quality |
| Visual ceiling | Depends on your hardware | Determined by the cloud node |
| One-time cost | GPU and RAM upgrades are expensive | Subscription model, low barrier |
| Stability risk | Hardware aging, driver issues | Network fluctuation, queue peaks |
| Best for | Long-term core players | Players with weak hardware or who want to try first |
One practical suggestion: use cloud gaming to experience the full game first, confirm you will play long-term, and only then decide whether to upgrade hardware for it — a premium game carries no trial cost, but hardware does.
Balancing Image Quality and Smoothness#
No invented preset names here, just a troubleshooting order — the biggest rendering costs ranked from high to low:
- Resolution and render scale: the most direct impact on framerate;
- Shadows and post-processing: a clear improvement in looks, and an equally clear performance cost;
- View distance: extraction shooters require spotting distant players, so do not lower this much;
- Texture quality: players with enough VRAM can keep it high; the framerate impact is relatively small;
- V-Sync and framerate cap: locking a stable framerate suits this genre better than chasing peak numbers.
The goal of tuning is not maximum image quality, it is a stable combat framerate — in an extraction shooter, a framerate drop is far more lethal than mediocre visuals.
Peripherals and Input Setup#
Both keyboard-and-mouse and gamepad are supported on PC (both inputs share the field under cross-platform play). Extraction shooters demand a lot from aim and audio, so a few input-side suggestions:
- Headset is the top priority: the game’s audio information (footsteps, machine hum, gunshot direction) is worth more than most graphics settings;
- Reserve quick keys: bind item dropping and extraction interactions to convenient keys so there is zero hesitation in an emergency;
- Gamepad players: aim assist and similar options follow the actual in-game settings; calibrate your feel in a safe area before dropping in.
Network Optimization: What Makes Extraction Shooters Special#
This is an online matchmaking game, and network quality matters no less than hardware:
| Check | Description |
|---|---|
| Wired connection | Prefer wired; Wi-Fi fluctuation is amplified during firefights |
| Latency and packet loss | A latency disadvantage objectively exists under cross-platform matchmaking; play in the region and time slot closest to you |
| Anti-cheat and firewall | Allow the anti-cheat component’s network permissions on first launch |
| Background usage | Schedule downloads, streaming, and similar tasks off-peak |
Performance Troubleshooting Order#
When you hit stutter or framerate drops, work through this list in order:
- Confirm the game version: update to the latest build; updates such as 1.36 may well carry performance fixes;
- Driver updates: keep your GPU drivers reasonably current;
- Background processes: browsers and screen-recording software are common hidden resource hogs;
- Walk graphics settings back one by one: drop everything at once, then restore one item at a time to locate the specific bottleneck;
- Cloud gaming fallback: when local hardware truly is not enough, GeForce NOW is the officially supported path.
Notes for Console Players#
The PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions launched the same day as PC. Console needs no manual tuning; the focus is display settings (output resolution and framerate mode) plus network conditions. Cross-platform party support lets console and PC friends deploy in the same squad.
Related Pages#
- FAQ — launch and matchmaking troubleshooting
- Getting Started Survival Guide — the first step beyond hardware
- Pure PvE Mode Guide — a practice window for low-end players
- Update History and Seasonal Content — a record of performance changes by version