ARC Raiders throws you into a brutal world where every run could be your last — and the difference between coming home rich or losing everything comes down to knowledge. Here is everything you need to survive your first raids and push into end-game content.
What Is ARC Raiders?
ARC Raiders is a third-person PvPvE extraction shooter developed by Embark Studios, set on a reclaimed, retro-futuristic Earth where humanity has been driven underground by a relentless swarm of hostile machines known as the ARC. You play as a Raider operating out of the underground city of Speranza, venturing up to the dangerous surface — called the Rust Belt — to scavenge materials, fight machines, and most importantly: get back out alive.
The core tension is simple and merciless: if you die before extraction, you lose everything you brought in. If you extract, you bank your loot and fuel your progression. Every decision in the Rust Belt carries weight.
Understanding the Rust Belt: Loot Zones
The surface map is divided into color-coded loot zones, each representing a different risk-to-reward ratio:
- White Zones — Low risk, basic materials and gear. Ideal for fast, stealthy early runs where you learn the map without bleeding resources.
- Orange Zones — Moderate resistance from ARC patrols, better loot. Good for mid-game progression once you have reliable weapons.
- Red Zones — End-game loot, heavy ARC presence, and high Raider traffic. Maximum risk, maximum reward. Come prepared or do not come at all.
The Core Loop: Raid, Loot, Extract
Each raid lasts up to 30 minutes. In that window you need to land, navigate the environment, fight or avoid ARC machines, find valuable loot, and reach an extraction point before time — or another player — ends your run. Here are the fundamentals:
- Secure the perimeter before activating an extraction beacon. Nothing worse than calling your extraction only to get flanked by a squad while you wait.
- Extract early if you are carrying heavy loot. Greed kills more Raiders than the ARC. Bank the good stuff, come back for more.
- Use machine fights as distractions. When two ARC units are engaged with other players, you can slip past or loot uncontested.
- Never wait until the timer is low to extract. Everyone else has the same instinct — late extractions become chaotic firefights at the beacon.
Exploration: Dam & Buried City Maps
The Dam and Buried City maps reward patient, methodical Raiders who take time to learn every corridor and rooftop. Knowing map geometry is as important as knowing your loadout — vertical positioning, chokepoints, and alternate routes can be the difference between a clean extraction and an ambush.
Bunker Trials: Downloading Intel
Bunker Trials are special mission objectives that send Raiders deep into underground ARC-controlled structures to download intel from terminals. These missions are high-stakes — you are deep underground, exits are limited, and the ARC density is punishing. The reward is high-tier intelligence items that unlock crafting recipes and story progression. Move fast, stay quiet, and always know where your exit is before you trigger the download sequence.
Loadout Tips for New Raiders
- Always bring at least one heavy ammo weapon — essential for interior engagements and boss encounters.
- Pack explosives for clustered ARC spawns near breach doors.
- A mobility item separates confident Raiders from players who get cornered. Practice movement.
- Do not over-invest in a run. Bring gear you can afford to lose until you know a map well enough to guarantee extraction.
The “For Science!” Achievement Guide
The “For Science!” trophy/achievement is one of ARC Raiders’ more elusive milestones, requiring players to interact with specific environmental objects spread across the Rust Belt — objects easy to miss if you only play with your eyes on the minimap. Watch the full guide above for exact locations and the most efficient route to complete all interactions in a single session.
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Bunker trials are genuinely tense on the first few attempts. The limited exit options plus the intel download timer create this perfect pressure cooker situation. Love how the game changes rhythm completely when you go underground.
The early extraction discipline is the hardest thing to learn. Every instinct says push further, grab more. The game punishes that hard. Once it clicks that a 70% full bag extracted beats a 100% bag lost, everything changes.
The colour-coded zone system is elegantly simple but so effective. White zones genuinely teach you the map without punishing mistakes, which makes the jump to orange and red feel earned rather than punishing.