Tactical ops
This is what many would call the main modes. You can enter Normal, Lockdown or Forbidden raids. You can go in solo, with a duo, as a trio or even a full squad if you got that. On this mode, all maps are available but not all maps are available for Normal raids.
- Normal raids
This is where all the new players start. This mode is where you learn the game and get some skill before you move onto Lockdown (or Forbidden). Normal raids can only be played on Farm or Valley and the gear value has to be below 450K. You will encounter "player bots", which is exactly what it sounds like, not real players but bots that acts like players (just very very bad ones). - Lockdown raids
You can play lockdown on all the maps available. The gear value in these raids are 150K-900K. Raids in lockdown can be pretty heavy on PvP depending on the map (and who you get in your lobby) but you'll still encounter player bots. For your first raids in lockdown, it could be smart to stay in the outskirts to get a feel of the maps you haven't played on before. You have a higher chance to get out with good loot value here unlike normals where the loot usually isn't that exciting. - Forbidden raids
You can play forbidden on all the maps available. The gear value in these raids needs to be over 400K but there isn't a higher cap for it, here you'll encounter anything from a kill worth 400K to 2 mill or even more depending on their gear. In forbidden raids there is heavy PvP with a lot of skilled players either running it down or trying to play a more tactical game. No player bots in these lobbies.
Secure ops
This is a good way to learn the game without losing your gear. Helmet, gun and armor will be returned if you die in raid. You will lose ammo, medical supplies and throwables though. Anything you bring out of the raid will be converted to koen. Secure ops is available on TV or Armory, switching between the maps every week. Gear value has to be below 600k.
Solo ops
If you don't want to risk running into duos, trios or squads: this is the place for you. You enter the raids as a solo and will only encounter other solos. These raids work exactly like the Tactical ops ones, but you're solo. Gear value has to be over 400K. Solo ops is available on Northridge or TV, switching between the maps every week.
Melee-only
You enter the raid without anything except your melee weapon, you don't even have a case to store anything valuable you find. To secure a valuable item, you need to kill another player and then use the retrieval box. This mode has been changed from Hotel in Northridge to TV and is not available at all times.
Warlord Tournament
This is a game mode that comes and goes, and first appeared in season 5. Your gear value has to be above 400K, you need 40M stored value and you need to be Ace V or above. In this you enter a TV raid against four other teams. This is in no shape or form a regular type of raid, it's more like a PvP party where you want to get first on the leaderboard. You can learn more about Warlord in our Warlord Tournament Guide.
Covert ops
In this mode you enter a raid... as a scav. You read that right. You'll spawn into normal raids as a undercover scav. Other scavs on the map won't fight you as long as you leave them alone. There will be other players on the map, so be careful since they will see you as any other scav. You won't have a full raid to loot since you load into the raid later than the players, so you have to move fast around the map to get some value with you once you extract. Most of the map will most likely be looted, but there could be a forgotten safe somewhere or maybe a dead player no one decided to loot and therefor you can earn some good money.
This page will be updated if there is any new modes coming out or if a mode is changed/removed. The game modes described in this guide are the ones currently in game.