ARC Raiders Store

This Tuesday, ARC Raiders released its customary weekly update, primarily featuring the introduction of new gear sets, changes to vendor trading, and various bug fixes.

However, players soon discovered that there appeared to be additional, covert changes that were not documented in the official patch notes.

In fact, this isn't the first time ARC Raiders has done this. On the one hand, some changes are temporary and minor, too insignificant to warrant a formal announcement in the patch notes.

On the other hand, developers may choose to implement changes secretly out of concern that the new adjustments might be unpopular with the player base.

Some of this week's changes were likely concealed for precisely this latter reason, as they essentially amount to buffs for enemy units, adjustments that, if explicitly stated, would almost certainly provoke an outcry from players.

Although these changes have not been officially acknowledged, they have a direct and significant impact on your gameplay experience. If you want to avoid suffering any setbacks due to being caught off guard by these adjustments, please read through this guide.

ARC secret buff

Some PvE enemies in ARC Raiders possess such massive proportions that the moment they spawn on the map, you can spot them instantly, even from a great distance.

However, there is also a substantial variety of ARC units that are smaller in stature and adept at utilizing traits, such as flight, to conceal themselves. Before you even realize what's happening, you can find yourself unwittingly surrounded by them.

This week, ARC Raiders appears to have implemented covert buffs specifically targeting this category of enemies. You will probably find them more difficult to detect and eliminate; unfortunately, some of your own weapons have also been subjected to secret nerfs (which we will cover later).

While a significant portion of the player base has always gravitated toward PvP combat experience in ARC Raiders, PvE experience, bolstered by the game's brilliantly designed ARC enemies, is not to be overlooked.

Consequently, nearly every one of the four major updates released during the first half of this year introduced new enemy types, including highly creative additions such as Turbine.

Given that the next major update isn't scheduled until October, the developers may have intended these covert enemy buffs as a way to ensure you continue to face fresh challenges and push your limits throughout the intervening months.

However, it must be emphasized that, regardless of the developers' original intentions, very few players appreciate this kind of sneaky approach.

If these changes are ultimately going to be implemented in the live game anyway, why not simply announce them openly from the start?

Anvil secret nerf

In ARC Raiders, Anvil is a single-action hand cannon that, despite its relatively common rarity, boasts excellent utility; when upgraded and equipped with the right attachments, it is more than capable of handling the majority of combat encounters.

Frustratingly, it appears that this week, in addition to buffing enemy units, ARC Raiders has secretly nerfed this weapon. More specifically, its inherent firing accuracy seems to have been reduced.

If you've used Anvil in combat over the past few days, you likely noticed that its crosshair spread is now nearly double its previous size, meaning your shots are far more prone to deviation.

While the specter of weapon system imbalance seems to constantly loom over ARC Raiders, Anvil has historically maintained a balanced performance, never punching too far above its weight class, meaning there was currently no justifiable reason to nerf it.

Consequently, this covert nerf by the developers has sparked confusion and frustration among players. Perhaps the developers intended to encourage players to prioritize accuracy-boosting attachments; however, this approach was clearly ill-advised.

If Anvil is your go-to weapon, you would be wise to explore other options in the coming days to avoid having this nerf ruin your combat and farming experiences.

To that end, you can buy ARC Raiders blueprints on IGGM. This allows you to directly craft and unlock the most dominant weapons currently available in the game's meta, enabling you to accelerate your progression through the game faster than ever before!

Seed Vaults secret nerf

Seed Vaults are loot rooms located within Research buildings on Buried City map. They serve not only as a primary source for quickly acquiring Seeds but are also mandatory destinations for completing specific missions.

However, players have recently discovered that the quantity of seeds, along with other potential loot, found in these areas has been drastically reduced, significantly diminishing the quality of the farming experience.

To be honest, if you've been playing ARC Raiders consistently, you've likely already experienced most of the new content introduced in Riven Tides update; at this point, your daily routine likely consists of gathering additional supplies to prepare for your next expedition.

For the game to nerf loot drop rates in specific zones at this juncture will undoubtedly deal a severe blow to your motivation and enthusiasm for playing. It is not only completely unnecessary but, arguably, entirely detrimental.

The absence of Decks

In ARC Raiders, Decks function essentially as a free Season Pass; by completing various designated daily missions, you can advance your progress through Deck and unlock rewards.

Since the game launched last October, a new deck has been released every two months. These releases were as follows:

• October 30, 2025: Starter Deck AR/RD 001: Ryder & Voyager
• December 26, 2025: Goalie Deck AR/RD 002: Goalie
• February 23, 2026: Surgeon Deck AR/RD 003: Surgeon

Logically, a fourth deck should have been released this past April; however, as of now, the end of May, there has been absolutely no news or updates regarding it.

One theory, based on ARC Raiders' previously outlined vision for Premium Decks, suggests that the developers may be planning to launch this new deck alongside a Free Deck at some point in the future, a strategy that would naturally require a longer development and waiting period.

Regardless of the specific reasons or plans involved, ARC Raiders' persistent tendency to make behind-the-scenes adjustments, while seemingly ignoring the core gameplay mechanics that players actually care about, is truly baffling.

The content drought expected over the next few months, coupled with competition from other titles and the continued presence of cheaters, may very well cause you to lose faith in ARC Raiders once again.

Therefore, we sincerely hope the developers will swiftly implement more meaningful and clearly defined changes and plans to prevent player attrition before the next major update finally arrives!

In ARC Raiders, Extended Barrel is practically an essential "hard currency" for every player looking to take their weapon performance to the next level.

In Pact 1.29.0, Extended Barrel was renamed Extended Barrel III, and two new models, Extended Barrel I and Extended Barrel II, were added. Extended Barrel III significantly increases bullet velocity and damage drop-off distance, making it incredibly powerful.

If you're still unsure about the specific performance of Extended Barrel III or how to obtain its blueprint, don't worry, I'll explain below:

Extended Barrel III

First, let's look at the specific enhancements to the most powerful Extended Barrel III.

Increased Bullet Velocity

One of the biggest highlights of the new Extended Barrel III is that its Bullet Velocity has been increased from 25% to 30%.

In PvP duels with other players or PvE shooting at moving targets, the biggest fear is slow bullet velocity - you aim perfectly, but the bullet lands behind the target. This is because bullets take time to travel, and enemies are moving.

So what does 5% speedup from Extended Barrel III mean in actual combat?

In PvE, you'll have faster hit detection; the time from bullet leaving the barrel to hitting the target is significantly reduced, almost "instantaneous." You'll have a higher margin for error; when shooting at moving targets, you don't need to consciously predict the distance as much as before - it's easier to hit the enemy once the crosshair is on target.

In PvP, weapons equipped with Extended Barrel III are also better suited for long-range engagements: in long-range gunfights, the advantage of bullet velocity is amplified - if your bullet arrives first, you win.

Damage Falloff Distance Increased

Some players might wonder, "Why don't I deal damage even though my shots from a distance hit my opponent?"

This is because ARC Raiders features a Damage Falloff mechanic - the farther a bullet travels, the lower its kinetic energy, resulting in reduced damage. This is a common feature in most shooting games.

Now that we understand this, let's look at new 15% Distance Until Damage Falloff bonus added to Extended Barrel III, a bonus not present in previous versions of Extended Barrel.

What does this mean? First, it extends your effective range, maintaining the damage of your bullets. Second, it increases the engagement distance with enemies. Previously, you had to risk getting close to fight; now you can safely stay behind cover and use your range advantage to whittle down enemies.

In fact, this change alone makes Extended Barrel III a highly sought-after item, as it's incredibly useful in actual combat.

How to Farm Blueprints?

But how do we get Extended Barrel III Blueprint?

There are two methods: First, if you're lucky enough, you can directly farm the blueprint using the method described below; second, you can directly buy ARC Raiders Extended Barrel III Blueprint from IGGM.com. We offer low prices and the fastest service, allowing you to quickly obtain the blueprint.

If you want to try your luck, I will introduce possible locations and some tips for obtaining blueprints.

Locations

These locations are summarized based on experiences shared by players in the community. After all, the drop of Extended Barrel III blueprint is completely random; there is no "fixed location" with a 100% spawn rate.

The first map with a relatively high drop rate is Buried City. Many players have reported farming blueprints in Space Travel Building in Buried City, especially in the drawers and cabinets on 5th and 6th floors of this building.

You need to pay extra attention to destructible doors in the game. The containers in the rooms behind these doors are more likely to contain high-value Blueprints.

Additionally, Santa Maria Houses and Grandioso Apartments on the same map are also likely to contain Blueprints, requiring careful searching.

The second potential drop location is Blue Gate. Blueprints are frequently hidden in Village in the northwest corner of this map; you can loot the entire village. Pay special attention to blue drawers - many players have reported finding Blueprints there.

Furthermore, the underground area of Reinforced Reception on the same map is worth exploring, as it contains numerous Security Lockers and Locked Rooms. However, be aware that this is also a PvP hotspot, so be cautious when entering.

Tips

Players who frequently farm Blueprints know that in ARC Raiders, entering a map under certain map conditions increases the drop rate of valuable items.

First up is Night Raid. Players see the period when this map state occurs as a "golden opportunity" to collect blueprints. According to feedback from the player community, Blueprint drop rate in Buried City during Night Raid is significantly higher than usual.

Secondly, there's Electromagnetic Storm, a high-difficulty map condition. Under this condition, more high-level Arcane enemies spawn on the map, and the drop rate of rare items across the entire map is increased, including Extended Barrel III Blueprint.

Finally, let's talk about Hurricane, a special condition in Buried City. When Hurricane occurs, buried treasures are revealed, and the loot you can find in Buried City is more abundant than in other locations. However, hurricanes reduce visibility and decrease the durability of your armor, so proceed with caution.

This concludes my introduction to Extended Barrel III in Arc Raiders and how to farm its Blueprint. I hope this is helpful.