For ARC Raiders players, the weird part about the crossplay issue is that it wasn't caused by a normal server outage or a big feature change. Xbox pushed Update 1.36.0 early, which left some players on a different version before everyone else caught up. If you were checking your stash, planning a run, or comparing notes on ARC Raiders BluePrints, the last thing you wanted was a version mismatch killing your queue times.

Why matchmaking started acting up

The problem is pretty straightforward: crossplay depends on everyone being on the same build. Since the update landed early on Xbox, those players were split off from the rest of the player base for a while. That means matchmaking can stall, queues can stretch, and squad invites may not behave the way you expect until the rollout is finished everywhere.

This does not look like a permanent change to crossplay. It is more of a timing issue, and timing matters a lot in a game like this. When players are trying to group up fast, even a short delay can make the whole session feel broken.

Make sure everyone in your squad is on the same platform version before you start queuing.
If you updated early on Xbox, wait for the full rollout instead of hopping between platforms.
Expect slower matchmaking during the mismatch window, especially during busy hours.
Do not assume a failed invite means your party settings are broken.

What Xbox players should do right now

From what I've seen, the safest move is simple: stay patient and avoid swapping platforms until the scheduled rollout time. The update is expected to go live across all platforms on July 7, 2026, at 4:00 AM, and that is when the version gap should close. If you already installed the early Xbox build, logging into another platform before then could create cross-progression headaches you really do not want to deal with.

That advice may sound a little cautious, but it makes sense. ARC Raiders is the kind of game where people bounce between sessions, loadouts, and squad plans pretty quickly. A mismatch in the middle of that flow is enough to waste time before a run even starts.

What changed in Update 1.36.0

Even though the early rollout created problems, Update 1.36.0 is not just a random hotfix. The listed changes include a new Store UI, a new Trials season, a new Expedition, matchmaking adjustments, bug fixes, gameplay balance changes, quality-of-life updates, and extra platform-wide fixes. The reported Xbox download size is 15GB, so this is not a tiny patch players can ignore.

That also explains why some people may notice more than just the crossplay issue once the update settles in. Bigger patches often shift how the game feels in small ways, even when the patch notes focus on UI or stability. If you care about smooth squad play, that matchmaking tuning is probably the part most players will notice first.

When things should feel normal again

Crossplay should come back once all platforms are on the same version, which is expected after the full release window hits. Until then, the issue is basically a temporary split between Xbox and everyone else. If your friends are waiting in lobby and nothing seems wrong on their end, the update timing is probably the reason.

For now, treat the current crossplay trouble as a short-term version conflict, not a broken feature. And if you are already thinking about the next few sessions, keep an eye on your setup and your ARC Items so you are not sorting out inventory problems at the same time the rollout finally settles down.