Start with three questions: How many people need to play together? Which platforms are they using? Does everyone want PvE only, or are player-versus-player encounters acceptable? Those answers narrow the field faster than the genre label. Then compare the games’ pace, solo options, and any console online-subscription requirements.
Compare the options by group fit
| Group priority | Game | What the official information supports | Check before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-platform extraction with player threats | ARC Raiders | Embark describes an extraction adventure with machine and player threats, plus social play across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. | It is not presented as PvE-only. Confirm current modes and each player’s platform. |
| Tactical realism and a choice of PvE or PvEvP | Gray Zone Warfare | The early-access launch announcement describes an open-world tactical shooter with PvE and PvEvP servers; play is solo or with three friends. | Check current platform support, server rules, price, and performance information. |
| Four-player co-op PvE and a solo fallback | Deep Rock Galactic | The official FAQ describes four-player co-op and solo missions with Bosco. | Cross-play is limited to specific platform pairings; check the exact versions your group owns. |
| Three-person tactical PvE | Rainbow Six Extraction | Ubisoft presents tactical co-op PvE and describes a Buddy Pass that invites two friends for 14 days. | Confirm that the Buddy Pass offer and the game are available in your region now. |
| Four-player coordinated missions; genre flexibility | Helldivers 2 | The FAQ sets a four-player maximum and requires an internet connection; PlayStation support confirms PS5/PC cross-play. | This is an adjacent squad-shooter option, not a like-for-like extraction recommendation. PS5 online multiplayer requires PlayStation Plus. |
These are different kinds of fit, not a single ranking. If extraction and the risk of meeting hostile players are essential, focus on ARC Raiders or Gray Zone Warfare. If the group mainly wants coordinated PvE missions, the adjacent co-op shooters may suit it better.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
First, make sure the whole group can play together
Squad capacity does not guarantee that friends on different devices can join the same session. Cross-play is a set of supported platform bridges, not a promise that every version connects to every other version. Ask each person which platform and game edition they will use, then verify that exact combination.
Check the actual platform pair
- ARC Raiders: Its official site describes social play across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, making it a candidate for mixed-platform groups. See the official site for current details.
- Helldivers 2: PlayStation support confirms cross-play between PS5 and PC; do not assume that establishes other platform combinations. See PlayStation’s support page.
- Deep Rock Galactic: Its FAQ says players cannot join across platforms. Xbox identifies a narrower cross-play pairing: Xbox One and the Windows 11 Microsoft Store version. That does not mean the Steam version joins the Xbox group. Consult the game FAQ and Xbox listing.
Before buying, verify the storefront edition as well as the device. “PC” may refer to different store versions with different multiplayer compatibility.
#1 Best Overall
- Includes Buddy Pass: Invite 2 friends to play with you for FREE for 14 days.
- Play alone or with friends from any platform in this 1- to 3-player co-op PvE FPS.
- 69 guns, 25 gadgets, 18 operators with progression levels, 12 large dynamic maps, 13 mutating enemies, and free post-launch content.
- Test your skills with 4 adjustable difficulty levels and a thrilling Endgame ranked mode.
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Players: Get 4 EXCLUSIVE Epic gearsets across both games and instantly unlock all 18 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction operators in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege.
Match the player count to who will actually show up
Use the number of people who need to join one session—not the number who might own the game—as the filter. The cited official pages give these group sizes:
- Gray Zone Warfare: Solo or a squad with three friends, according to its early-access launch announcement.
- Helldivers 2: Up to four players, according to the official FAQ.
- Deep Rock Galactic: Four-player co-op, according to the official FAQ.
- Rainbow Six Extraction: The Buddy Pass described by Ubisoft lets a player invite two friends for 14 days, for a three-person group if the offer is currently available.
For an irregular group, also ask what happens when only one person is online. Deep Rock Galactic says solo missions include Bosco. Helldivers 2’s FAQ notes that higher-level content may be difficult solo, so its four-player capacity is not the same as an equally comfortable solo fallback.
Rank #2
- EXPANSIVE CAMPAIGN: Many real-world locations have been captured using photogrammetry to recreate a living, immersive environment, and multiple infiltration and extraction points and kill list targets provide a whole new perspective on each mission. Take on the Nazi plot solo or work with a partner, with improved co-op mechanics allowing you to share ammo and items, give orders and heal each other.
- ADVANCED GUNPLAY PHYSICS AND TRAVERSAL: Use ziplines, slide down slopes and shimmy along ledges to reach the perfect vantage point, or to sneak past a sharp-eyed lookout. Factor in rifle stock and barrel options along with gravity, wind and heart rate while you line up your sights on the target.
- HIGH CALIBRE CUSTOMISATION: Use workbenches to customise and upgrade virtually every aspect of your weapon – change scopes, stocks, barrels, magazines and more. Rifles, secondaries and pistols all have a huge variety of options. On top of that you can select the ammo to suit your target, from armour-piercing right down to non-lethal.
- INVASION MODE – CAMPAIGN DROP IN PvP AND CO-OP: Invade another player’s Campaign as an Axis sniper and engage in a deadly game of cat and mouse, providing a new dimension to the challenge as you stalk your prey. Alternatively, as Karl you can call for assistance and have a second sniper drop in to help you out of a tricky situation.
- TENSE ADVERSIAL MULTIPLAYER: Customise your character and loadout and earn XP, medals and ribbons as you take on intensely competitive 16 player battles that will really test your sharpshooting skills. If co-op’s more your style, you can team up with up to 3 other players against waves of enemies in Survival mode.
Decide whether PvP belongs in the experience
PvE and PvPvE create different expectations for a group. In PvE, the challenge comes from the game’s enemies and environment. In PvPvE, other players can also become a threat, so a run may be disrupted by strangers rather than only by the mission itself.
If your group accepts contested extraction
ARC Raiders is the clearest fit in this set for a group that wants extraction with both machine threats and other Raiders. Its official site describes players preying on one another as part of the premise, so it should not be treated as a guaranteed PvE-only choice. Review the official description and current mode options before settling on it.
Rank #3
- Gold Edition - Includes the game, Season Pass, and exclusive National Guard gear set.
- Gain Access to All Three Major Expansions - Underground, Survival, and Last Stand, adding new content, gear, and gameplay as you fight to take back New York.
- Receive Exclusive Gear and Monthly Perks - Make your Agent stand out from the rest with a unique sawed-off shotgun, exclusive customization options and Monthly events and content.
- Seamless Multiplayer: The Dark Zone - Collaborate with other players, or attack and steal their loot.
- Gear Up and Customize Your Agent - Customize, modify, and level up your gear, weapons, and skills to take back New York on your own terms.
If your group wants to choose a server type
Gray Zone Warfare’s early-access launch announcement describes both PvE and PvEvP servers. That makes it relevant if the group wants a realism-forward, open-world tactical shooter and values that server choice. The details here come from the launch announcement; check current server rules and platform availability before buying.
If your group wants PvE co-op
Deep Rock Galactic and Rainbow Six Extraction are explicitly presented as PvE co-op options by their official sources. Helldivers 2 is also a coordinated online squad game, but the official material cited here presents it as a squad shooter rather than a like-for-like extraction shooter. These are useful alternatives when teamwork matters more than contested extraction.
Rank #4
- Includes Buddy Pass: Invite 2 friends to play with you for FREE for 14 days.
- Play alone or with friends from any platform in this 1- to 3-player co-op PvE FPS.
- 69 guns, 25 gadgets, 18 operators with progression levels, 12 large dynamic maps, 13 mutating enemies, and free post-launch content.
- Test your skills with 4 adjustable difficulty levels and a thrilling Endgame ranked mode.
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Players: Get 4 EXCLUSIVE Epic gearsets across both games and instantly unlock all 18 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction operators in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege.
Choose the pace and failure tolerance your friends enjoy
A group can agree on PvE and still want very different sessions. Gray Zone Warfare is described in its launch announcement as realism-forward, open-world tactical play; it is the candidate here for groups seeking that slower, tactical framing. Deep Rock Galactic’s official description instead centers on four-player science-fiction co-op in destructible caves, while Rainbow Six Extraction is framed as tactical PvE. ARC Raiders combines environmental machine threats with the possibility of other Raiders.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Ask how your group feels about losing progress or having a run go wrong. The sources cited here do not establish comparative difficulty, loss rules, or failure penalties across these games, so check current game-specific rules rather than assuming all extraction games punish failure in the same way.
Best Value
- Includes Buddy Pass: Invite 2 friends to play with you for FREE for 14 days.
- Play alone or with friends from any platform in this 1- to 3-player co-op PvE FPS.
- 69 guns, 25 gadgets, 18 operators with progression levels, 12 large dynamic maps, 13 mutating enemies, and free post-launch content.
- Test your skills with 4 adjustable difficulty levels and a thrilling Endgame ranked mode.
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Players: Get 4 EXCLUSIVE Epic gearsets across both games and instantly unlock all 18 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction operators in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege.
Check online requirements and recurring costs
Separate the game’s purchase price from the cost or requirements of playing online on a particular platform. Current regional prices and availability are not established here, and store terms can change.
Quick Recap
- Helldivers 2: An internet connection is required. PlayStation support says PS5 online multiplayer requires PlayStation Plus. See the game FAQ and PlayStation support.
- Deep Rock Galactic on Xbox: The Xbox listing says console online multiplayer requires Game Pass Essential, Premium, or Ultimate. Check the listing for current terms.
- Rainbow Six Extraction: Ubisoft’s page describes a 14-day Buddy Pass for two invited friends. Confirm that the offer still applies where you live before relying on it to bring new players in.
Use this checklist before the group buys
- Count the players who need to join the same session, and compare that number with the game’s stated squad size.
- Write down everyone’s platform and storefront edition; verify each exact cross-play pairing on an official support or store page.
- Agree on PvE-only versus PvPvE. If anyone does not want player encounters, do not choose a game on the assumption that it is PvE-only without confirmation.
- Decide whether the group wants realism-forward tactical play, a different co-op mission style, or a mix.
- For members who play alone when others are away, check solo support and whether solo play is viable for the content they want.
- Check current local price, availability, online-subscription requirements, and any trial or Buddy Pass terms before purchase.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
