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ARC Raiders is Embark Studios’ PvPvE extraction shooter: you deploy from Speranza into the Rust Belt, grab loot, dodge killer ARC machines and rival raiders, then extract before it all goes to waste. Die with a custom loadout and everything you carried — except what sits in your safe pocket — is gone.
If your first raids end in a panic, a red screen, and an empty inventory, you are doing what every new raider does. The fix is not better aim — it is better decisions. These tips keep you alive long enough to get rich.
The biggest rookie mistake is bringing your best gear into early raids. You will die a lot while learning layouts, ARC patrol routes, and extraction points — and dying with rare weapons and augments is throwing resources away. Use the free loadouts (top of the loadout screen) for your first 20 to 30 extractions. They come with random basic gear and zero permanent loss, so you learn with no gear fear. Save the good stuff for when you know the map.
Press H on PC, Triangle on PS5, or Y on Xbox to holster your weapon — you sprint noticeably faster than with a gun drawn. The game never explains this clearly, but the difference is real. Holster between locations, draw only to fight. Those extra seconds of speed often decide whether you reach extraction in time.
