Embark Studios’ ARC Raiders is days away, having recently wrapped an exciting server slam on all platforms. Between the incredible gun play and premise, there’s a lot to look forward to, but if you’ve never gone hands-on, what can you expect? Join us as we dive into everything you should know about the extraction shooter before it launches on October 30th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.
Note: All the information in this feature is based on officially revealed details and content from the recent Server Slam.
PvEvP Extraction Shooter
Announced way back in 2021 as a third-person co-op shooter, ARC Raiders underwent a significant transformation in 2023, becoming a PvEvP extraction shooter instead. The entire premise revolves around traversing the ruins of the post-apocalyptic world, scavenging for resources and trying to make it back underground alive. You may encounter other players who seek cooperation but they could just as easily turn on you and steal your stuff. Of course, there are worse things on the Rust Belt to run into.
The ARC
If you suffer from arachnophobia, then some caution is advised when going up agaisnt the ARC. These mysterious sentient machines have laid claim to the surface, attacking any humans they come across. You’ve seen the massive Queen that can be a death sentence if you’re not equipped to deal with it, but there are also Rocketeers and Hornets that attack from the air, Ticks that hang around (literally) to ambush you, and Snitches that call for backup if they see you. Each has valuable parts, though, so conflict is inevitable.
Special Conditions
Of course, you also need to account for various Special Conditions. These can range from an Electromagnetic Storm to Hidden Bunkers and even Harvest Season and Night Raids. Each offers a special twist on how you’d normally tackle a map. You might find a large amount of nature-based loot in Harvest season but Night Raids promise higher quality drops, at the expense of dealing with tougher ARC (which means a higher risk of losing what you already have).
Weapons
From assault rifles like the piddly Kettle to light machine guns like Torrente, ARC Raiders has a fairly strong line-up of weapons available. You can snipe from afar with Osprey (or Jupiter, if energy ammo is your thing), annihilate foes with shotguns, or learn on battle rifles. There are also Special weapons like the Equalizer which deal significant damage to ARC.
Gadgets and Augments
Other notable features include Augments, which provide different passive benefits like better shields but at the cost of less quick use slots and inventory capacity. These allow for min-maxing builds depending on your preferred playstyle, whether it’s for more scavenging or combat. Gadgets, which include grenades and flares, are also useful and provide some creative solutions for dealing with threats. Instead of worrying about fighting ARC head-on, use a Lure Grenade to send them on a wild goose chase instead.
Locations
While the Dam Battlegrounds serves as the first location that players will encounter – and one that many have doubtless experienced in the recent server slam – there are four more locations to look forward to. Buried City is more metropolitan with several abandoned buildings to navigate. Spaceport is a “derelict launch facility” where various remains of technology can be discovered. Meanwhile, the mountains make up Blue Gate, with the open landscape hosting several different underground facilities and towns. Another location called Stella Montis has also been teased, but Embark has remained tight-lipped on it thus far.
Speranza
Speranza is your home base, where you’ll encounter vendors that offer quests alongside items. However, there are also Free Loadouts for those who have nothing to their name, thus providing a fighting chance if you lose nearly everything in a raid. Scrappy the rooster is also a source of materials whether your raid is successful or not, though you’ll have to provide some items in exchange.
Workshop
It wouldn’t be an extraction shooter without crafting and that’s where the Workshop comes in. Whether it’s creating new Gadgets and weapons, upgrading your current gear, crafting new Augments and shields or refining materials, this is where all those resources funnel into. Each facility can be upgraded, unlocking better options down the line, assuming you’re dedicated enough.
Skills
Loot isn’t the be-all, end-all of your skill sets – there are also literal skills to unlock, divided into three Specializations – Conditioning, Mobility, and Survival. Do you want faster stamina regeneration when critically injured or less damage taken when downed? How about faster climbing and more slide distance? Maybe some more carrying capacity. Each skill requires investing multiple skill points and later options have stricter requirements. Mixing and matching is encouraged but you’ll need to experiment to find the ideal build.
Feats and Raider Decks
As you complete Feats, you’re awarded Raider Cred, which can be spent in Raider Decks. Based on the Premium Warbonds from Helldivers 2, these offer multiple pages of paid and free cosmetics. Embark has confirmed more Raider Decks to be added over time but not all of them will be permanent. An in-game store is also available for purchasing cosmetics with Raider Tokens, but you can also earn new customization options through quests and as level-up rewards.
Trials
For those craving a challenge, there are Trials. Depending on how well you perform in them (and the difficulty), you’ll earn a place in the leaderboards. There is a competitive reason to pursue them (aside from earning Masteries) but it’s seemingly separate from a proper ranked mode.
The Expedition Project
Extraction shooters tend to reset player progression on a period basis to ensure a level playing field, but Embark is trying something different – the Expedition Project. After reaching level 20 and collecting enough materials over the course of eight weeks, players can choose to reset their own progress. Cosmetics and achievements remain but skills, items, crafting recipes, and more must be unlocked again. It’s an interesting approach and the appeal of “permanent account unlocks” and “unique cosmetic rewards” alongside buffs that last for the Expedition’s length is tantalizing, but the benefits remain to be experienced first-hand.
PC Requirements
If there’s one thing (among many) that ARC Raiders has received praise for, it’s the PC optimization. The minimum requirements include an Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD Ryzen R5 1600, 12 GB RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, an AMD Radeon RX 580 or an Intel Arc A380. It’s the recommended requirements which are surprisingly accommodating, including a Core i5-9600K or a Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM and an RTX 2070, a Radeon RX 5700 XT or an Arc B570. Of course, the total installation size and target resolution, frame rate and quality settings remain to be detailed, but based on the server slam, it’s scaling very well.
Squads v Squads and Solos Matchmaking
The first concern when hopping into any PvEvP shooter, especially one where every death matters, is matchmaking. While it’s possible to play solo or with up to two other players, what happens if you’re a solo player thrown into a game with squads? According to Embark Studios, it will prioritize matching squads against each and ensuring that solos only face solos. Now, that doesn’t mean things will remain super-balanced, as squads and solos could easily team up against others, but it should be interesting to see how that pans out.
Cross-Play (Sans Console-Only Cross-Play)
As with many contemporary multiplayer titles, cross-platform play is available att launch. However, those hoping for console-only cross-play to circumvent potential cheaters will be disappointed, as ARC Raiders doesn’t support this. You can still turn off cross-play and match with those on your own platform, though.
