Arc Raiders: Getting Started Guide for PC
New to Arc Raiders? This guide covers the full core loop, how to fight the Arc, how to build your first loadout, and the survival habits that separate successful extractions from costly respawns.
What Is Arc Raiders?
Arc Raiders is a third-person PvPvE extraction shooter by Embark Studios. You play as a Raider — a scavenger operating from an underground bunker called Antam — venturing to the surface to fight the Arc: an unstoppable swarm of alien machines that has devastated human civilisation.
Each run drops you onto a large open map where you'll loot for resources, fight Arc enemies, potentially encounter other players, and attempt to extract before you're overwhelmed. Everything you carry out is yours to keep. Everything you lose on a failed run is gone.
This isn't a game about winning. It's a game about surviving.
Extraction comes first. Winning a firefight against a squad of players means nothing if you die to an Arc patrol on your way to the extract point. Always keep extract in mind.
The Core Loop
Every deployment follows the same cycle:
1. Kit up — Select your loadout, consumables, and any gear you want to risk bringing in.
2. Deploy — Drop onto the map. You have no map markers for other players; Arc threats are the consistent danger.
3. Loot — Gather resources, components, and equipment. Higher-tier loot is found in more dangerous areas closer to Arc activity.
4. Fight or avoid — Arc patrols are everywhere. Engage if you have the ammo and health; avoid if you don't.
5. Extract — Reach an extraction point, trigger it, and survive the wait. Fail to extract and you lose everything you were carrying.
The loop rewards patience. Greedy Raiders who push too far or carry too much get caught out.
Understanding the Arc
The Arc is not random. Enemy types have patterns you can learn:
- Crawlers — Small, fast ground units. Low individual threat but deadly in groups. Listen for the skittering sounds before they appear.
- Soldiers — Bipedal Arc units with ranged attacks. Treat them like armoured enemies — aim for weak points.
- Heavies — Large, slow, high-damage Arc machines. Do not fight these unless you're well-stocked. Kite, distract with noise, or find another route.
- Flyers — Airborne units that spot Raiders from elevation. Stay under cover when crossing open ground.
Arc activity ramps up over time during a match. The longer you stay on the surface, the more dangerous it becomes. Early rotations favour lighter Arc presence; late-game pushes to extract can be brutal.
Use sound. Arc Raiders has excellent audio design. You can hear crawlers, flyer scan sweeps, and soldier footsteps before you see them. Play with headphones and turn off music if you want the survival advantage.
Building Your First Loadout
Don't overthink your first few runs. A simple, functional kit beats an expensive one you're afraid to lose.
Starter approach:
- Primary weapon — Pick a rifle or SMG you're comfortable with. Mid-range versatility matters more than raw damage early on.
- Secondary — A sidearm for close-quarters emergencies.
- Backpack — Carry capacity directly limits how much you can extract. Upgrade this early.
- Armour — Light armour lets you move quietly. Heavy armour slows you but absorbs more punishment. Match to your playstyle.
- Consumables — Always bring at least two healing items. Running out of health recovery mid-fight is a death sentence.
Leave your best gear behind until you understand the maps. Losing a cheap kit stings. Losing your favourite rifle because you got surrounded by Arc heavies on your third run stings a lot more.
Inventory and Weight Management
Arc Raiders uses a weight/encumbrance system. Carrying too much slows your movement and stamina recovery — two things that will get you killed.
Key habits:
- Prioritise high-value, low-weight loot — Components and crafting materials often give better return per kilo than bulky equipment.
- Drop your kit if you find an upgrade — Swapping dead weight mid-run is smart, not wasteful.
- Don't hoard ammo you won't use — Excess ammo weighs you down. Take what you need for the run.
- Check your weight before pushing to extract — An overloaded Raider can't sprint effectively, which is catastrophic at extraction when the timer is running.
Extraction: How Not to Die at the Finish Line
Extraction is where most new players make fatal mistakes.
- Scout the extract point before triggering it — Arc enemies spawn near extraction zones late in a match. Clear the immediate area before you commit.
- Trigger and hold position — Once extraction is activated, hold a defensible position. Don't expose yourself running circles.
- Watch for other Raiders — Other players know the extract locations too. Expect ambushes, especially on popular extract points.
- Have an abort plan — If extraction gets too hot, sometimes it's better to disengage, find another extract, and live to try again. A partial extraction is better than losing everything.
Your first goal is completing 5 successful extractions — even empty-handed ones. Learning the rhythm of a run, how Arc escalates, and where the extract points are on each map is worth more than any loot you could carry out in your first few hours.
Common New Player Mistakes
- Fighting every Arc encounter — You have limited ammo. Every fight you pick is ammo you won't have later.
- Ignoring the noise they're making — Arc patrol routes telegraph themselves through sound. If you hear it, stop and listen before moving.
- Extracting with too little — Don't be so conservative you never bring anything back. Resources fund your next loadout.
- Extracting with too much — Don't get greedy. One more building, one more floor, one more crate — that's how Raiders die.
- Playing alone too aggressively — Solo play is viable but demands patience and avoidance. You're one downed player away from losing everything.