Arc Raiders Stuck on Joining Game Fix Guide | All Solutions That Actually Work

[Arevale]

If you’ve been grinding Arc Raiders since the early access days like I have, you already know the game can be absolutely brutal—not just because of the ARC but because the game sometimes refuses to even let you play. And nothing is more soul-crushing than booting up Arc Raiders after a long day, only to get stuck on joining game over and over again.

Before we dive deep into this giant list of fixes, I’ll say this: Arc Raiders is heavily server-dependent, and things like slow matchmaking or joining game freezes aren’t always your fault. But there are many ways to force the game to stabilize and get you past that infinite “joining game” loop.

Also, if you’re just starting out or rebuilding after losing items due to a disconnection bug, some players grab extra Arc Raiders Coins to speed things up. If you go that route, services like SSEGold let you buy Arc Raiders coins fast so you can get back into action without waiting on drops forever.

Now let’s fix your joining issues.

Why Arc Raiders Gets Stuck on Joining Game

Let’s start with the basics: When Arc Raiders gets stuck on joining game, it’s usually due to one of these:

A matchmaking timeout in the server backend

Your game client failing to handshake properly

Slow connections or dropped packets

Outdated game files or cached network data

Your platform (Steam, Epic, or console) failing to sync with the server

A corrupted local profile or RAM-held junk memory

A temporary outage on the ARC servers

The trick is figuring out whether the problem is on your end, the server’s end, or somewhere in-between. This guide covers all three.

1. Check Arc Raiders Server Status First

This should always be your first step before trying anything else. If servers are having trouble, every fix on this list will fail. Server issues cause:

Infinite joining screens

Matchmaking not starting

Getting dropped back to title

Stuck on loading character

Check status using these signs:

Twitter posts from devs

Discord announcements

Steam/Epic backend spikes

Sudden mass complaints from players

If servers are down or overloaded, your only option is to wait it out.

2. Restart the Game the Right Way (Not Just Closing It)

Lots of players close the game but forget it stays partly active in the background.

Here’s how to restart Arc Raiders properly:

PC

Close the game

Open Task Manager

End all Arc Raiders processes

Restart Steam or Epic as well

Reboot the game

Console

Close application

Clear cache by holding power for 10 seconds

Restart console

Launch Arc Raiders again

This prevents leftover memory from causing the “joining game” freeze.

3. Flush Your Network Cache (Fixes 50 percent of Joining Issues)

If Arc Raiders can’t handshake with the servers quickly enough, you’ll get stuck in joining loops. Clearing DNS and network cache helps a ton.

Windows

Open Command Prompt as admin

Enter these:

ipconfig flushdns

ipconfig release

ipconfig renew

Console

Restart router

Unplug for 30 seconds

Plug back in

This can instantly fix joining failures caused by packet drops.

4. Turn Crossplay Off and Then On Again

This sounds dumb, but trust me — crossplay is one of the biggest culprits.

Go into settings and:

Disable crossplay

Restart game

Try joining

Turn crossplay back on later if needed

Arc Raiders matchmaking prioritizes cross-platform pools, but sometimes those pools get stuck.

5. Switch Your Matchmaking Region

If you’re stuck in a dead region, matchmaking won’t move. Seasoned players already know some regions queue slower than others.

Try switching to:

US East

US West

EU Central

Whatever is closest but also one with high player activity.

6. Verify Game Files (Steam/Epic)

If even one file is corrupted, Arc Raiders can get stuck on joining game forever.

Steam

Right-click Arc Raiders

Properties

Local Files

Verify integrity

Epic Games

Click the gear icon

Select Verify

This often fixes failed network initialization.

7. Disable Overlays That Break Arc Raiders Networking

A lot of gamers underestimate this, but overlays cause a ton of instability.

Turn these off:

Discord overlay

Steam overlay

Nvidia overlay

Xbox Game Bar

Overwolf

MSI Afterburner overlays

Arc Raiders tries to run lightweight, and anything hooking into the graphics layer can slow the joining process enough to cause a timeout.

8. Fix NAT Type and Enable UPnP

This is huge. If your NAT type is Strict, Arc Raiders struggles to join sessions.

To fix NAT:

Turn on UPnP in your router

Or manually port forward

Restart router afterward

You want NAT Type Open or Moderate — anything else causes problems.

9. Use a Wired Connection Instead of WiFi

Yes, WiFi works most of the time, but Arc Raiders matchmaking is sensitive. If your signal strength dips for even a second, it can interrupt the joining handshake.

A wired connection or at least a 5GHz WiFi channel often solves joining issues instantly.

10. Delete Arc Raiders Cache Files

On PC, deleting cache often fixes persistent loading bugs.

Path usually looks like:
UserAppData Local ArcRaiders Saved

Delete these:

Cache

WebCache

Temp files

The game will rebuild them automatically.

11. Rebuild Database on PlayStation or Clear Cache on Xbox

Console players get stuck on joining game a lot due to cached junk.

PlayStation

Boot in Safe Mode

Choose Rebuild Database

Xbox

Hold power for 10 seconds

Clear persistent storage

You’ll be surprised how often this fixes matchmaking freezes.

12. Try Joining a Friend’s Session Instead of Solo

This is a veteran trick.

If you can’t join a session alone:

Have a friend start

You join through invite

Once inside, matchmaking becomes more stable

It bypasses the initial handshake that usually breaks.

13. Reinstall the Game Only If All Else Fails

A fresh install wipes corrupted configs and leftover beta files. It shouldn’t be your first option, but it does fix some cases where the game simply refuses to load or join.

Why Arc Raiders Stuck on Joining Game Happens So Often

This is worth explaining because players assume it’s always “bad servers,” but there are real reasons:

The game uses heavy peer-to-peer to lighten server load

Matchmaking pings several regions for best fit

If a single region fails to respond, the loop breaks

Many overlays interfere with Unreal Engine netcodes

Memory leaks build up after long play sessions

So the joining freeze isn’t just random — the system is fragile.

How to Prevent Arc Raiders Joining Game Issues in the Future

Here’s what works long term:

Restart game every few hours

Use wired Ethernet

Keep overlays off

Keep crossplay toggled if needed

Don’t use VPNs

Make sure Steam/Epic Cloud Saves are properly synced

A lot of veteran players do these automatically.

Final Thoughts from a Long-Time Arc Raiders Player

Arc Raiders is an incredible game when it runs smoothly, but yeah — getting stuck on joining game can completely ruin the experience. Thankfully, most causes are manageable, and with the fixes in this guide, you should be able to get back into the fight without waiting on endless loading loops.

And if matchmaking bugs or disconnects cost you items or set you back in progression, some players pick up a little extra currency to rebuild faster. If you choose that route, SSEGold is where players often go to buy Arc Raiders coins safely and quickly.