ARC Raiders Bird City Loot Breakdown | Insane Coin Gains Most Players Are Ignoring

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• ARC Raiders Week 20 Trials guide | Survive many types of PvE Enemies and maximize your loot!

  In ARC Raiders, the start of a new week signifies the opportunity to kick off your weekly loot-gathering journey by tackling the latest set of trials. Beginning your week with these objective-driven missions provides a clear structure and focus for your gaming sessions.

  Since Expedition 3 has only recently begun in the game, these seemingly simple trials actually represent your safest and most reliable method right now for acquiring essential basic materials.

  In this guide, we will walk you through everything included in Week 20 trials, which went live on March 16th, and provide the perfect strategies for completing each one.

  

  Week 20 trials overview

  As with previous weeks, this week's trials consist of five specific objectives. These tasks typically involve transporting designated cargo or dealing damage to specific types of ARC enemies.

  None of Week 20 trials are particularly difficult; however, if you wish to maximize your rewards and potentially acquire rare ARC Raiders blueprints that are hard to come by otherwise, you will need to earn at least 4,000 points within a single mission.

  Get hit by lightning

  To be honest, when you first see this trial objective, your immediate reaction will probably be, You've got to be kidding me! After all, getting struck by lightning in the game results in your character taking damage.

  Nevertheless, whether the developers were running low on ideas or simply wanted to test your self-healing capabilities, you must complete this challenge if you don't want to miss out on the rewards.

  To do so, you must first wait for an Electromagnetic Storm event to spawn on any given map, as this is the only event that causes lightning to appear in the surrounding environment.

  Since these map events are time-limited, and you certainly don't want to waste time standing around doing nothing, you need to master the patterns of the lightning's appearance and descent. Your goal is to get struck as many times as possible within the short duration of the event.

  If lightning is about to strike a specific spot on the map, a glowing blue circle will appear on the ground at that location. Simply keep a close watch; if you step into the circle ahead of time and wait for the lightning to descend, you will successfully get struck.

  Of course, to earn enough points to maximize your trial rewards, you will need to get struck multiple times. Therefore, be sure to bring plenty of healing supplies so you can continuously heal yourself while getting zapped, it makes for a truly comical scene!

  Damage Hornets

  This type of objective has appeared in previous weekly trials as well. While Hornets are not considered the most difficult type of ARC enemy to deal with, getting hit by their stun rounds will leave you stunned for a few seconds and will also reduce your shields.

  Therefore, the key to taking down Hornets lies in dodging their stun grenades while simultaneously destroying any of the thrusters located on their bodies to destabilize them.

  Another tricky aspect is that Hornets invariably appear alongside swarms of Wasps, which serve to provide them with a certain degree of protection. However, Wasps appear to be significantly easier to eliminate, so there is no need to worry about them.

  Damage flying ARC enemies inside Spaceport walls

  This trial strictly confines the mission area to the zone marked by boundary lines within Spaceport map; you must eliminate a sufficient number of flying ARC enemies within this specific area to earn trial points.

  Do not worry that the reduced operational area will prevent enemies from spawning frequently; to ensure you can successfully complete the objective, the game will significantly increase the spawn rate of flying ARCs during specific time intervals.

  ARC Raiders features a wide variety of flying PvE enemy types. In addition to Hornets and Wasps mentioned in the second trial, the following units are also present:

  • Snitch
  • Spotter
  • Fireflys
  • Rocketeers

  Among these, Firefly was a new addition introduced in Shrouded Sky update released in February. Once it detects you, it will attack using a flamethrower; you can inflict damage by shooting at its thrusters while simultaneously utilizing cover to dodge its attacks.

  Of all the flying ARC enemies, Rocketeer is the largest and presents the greatest challenge to eliminate; consequently, taking down a single Rocketeer yields the highest number of trial points. However, you should not overlook opportunities to eliminate the other enemy types as well.

  Also Read: ARC Raiders Shrouded Sky Update: Increased Difficulty, Key Room Controversies, and Player Demands for Balance Changes

  Damage Bombardiers

  This particular ARC enemy is far more dangerous than any of the flying bots mentioned above. It is a massive, heavily armored unit capable of launching devastating long-range mortar fire to inflict catastrophic damage to you.

  To make matters even trickier, every Bombardier is flanked by two Spotters. These Spotters not only act as bodyguards but also mark your location, thereby facilitating Bombardier's attacks.

  Therefore, we recommend prioritizing the elimination of Spotters first, a tactic that also helps prevent other nearby players from detecting your position. However, be aware that Spotters will eventually respawn.

  Consequently, immediately after eliminating Spotters, you must aim for Bombardier's weak points to take it down as quickly as possible: destroy the yellow knee joints to cripple its mobility, and then destroy the rear-mounted cylinders to completely disable its propulsion system.

  Common spawn locations for this enemy include:

  • Dam Battlegrounds: Primary Facility (Night Raid)
  • Buried City: Parking Garage, Marano Park, North of Plaza Rosa
  • Spaceport: East of Vehicle Maintenance, The Trench
  • Blue Gate: Raider's Refuge, Checkpoint, Traffic Tunnel

  In addition to serving as a trial objective, Bombardiers may drop the following materials upon death; you can use these, along with any blueprints you've acquired, to craft additional weapons:

  • ARC Powercell
  • ARC Alloy
  • Mechanical Components
  • Advanced ARC Powercell
  • ARC Flex Rubber
  • ARC Motion Core
  • Launcher Ammo
  • Bombardier Cell

  Deliver carriables

  This mission requires you to locate crates and transport them to Field Depots within the current map, or to find batteries and deliver them to Substations.

  Theoretically, crates can be found in every map except Stella Montis; however, you may prefer to complete this task in a map where you are more familiar with the terrain.

  Although the mission itself does not strictly require combat, carrying a crate will significantly reduce your movement speed and generate noise, which may attract ARC or other players.

  Therefore, if possible, it is recommended that you team up with one or two friends to complete this mission, taking turns to cover one another.

  If other players approach, simply letting them know that you are currently working on a mission may be enough to convince them to leave you be.

  The information above covers everything you need to know to complete all the trials for ARC Raiders Week 20. You can choose to start immediately, or wait to complete them during off-peak hours on the weekend - just be sure not to forget!

• ARC Raiders Embraces Player Feedback | 10+ Year plan promises massive PvE and PvP surprises

  In the world of game development, player feedback can often be the key that alters a game's destiny. Recently, the studio behind Arc Raiders shared a more detailed vision for the game's future than what's outlined in their official roadmap.

  Through an in-depth analysis of player testing data, the studio has not only re-evaluated the game's direction but also formulated an ambitious ten-year update plan. While we may not see the intricate details of this plan immediately, we can at least understand the official adjustments being made to the game, allowing us to speculate on future content updates.

  

  Player Feedback

  To understand the future direction of ARC Raiders, it's essential to understand how the development team handles player feedback. In a recent interview, the game's production director shared a crucial insight: the development team initially did not anticipate such an enthusiastic PvE player community.

  During the game's pre-launch testing phase, many players, without any official prompting, independently discovered friendly lobbies—matches where players voluntarily chose cooperation over competition. In reality, some team members did believe during development that a pure PvE experience would be compelling, but it wasn't until they saw the player data that they truly confirmed the significance of this demand.

  Initially, ARC Raiders was conceived as a pure PvE game, and the development team hadn't even considered adding a dedicated PvE mode. Facing two distinct player bases with preferences for PvP and PvE, the team admitted this presented a considerable challenge. However, they are not willing to abandon either group and are striving to find a balance.

  Testing Feedback

  Before the official release of ARC Raiders, the game underwent an extensive testing period. During these tests, the game received a substantial amount of negative feedback regarding PvP, which led the development team to second-guess their decision to transition from pure PvE to incorporating PvP elements. This caused internal hesitation, with the team debating whether to revert to PvE or commit to purely PvP content.

  However, after deep data analysis and reflection, the team discovered that PvP itself wasn't the root cause of the problem. The real issues were identified as:

  • Problems with weapon balance.
  • Inadequate feedback mechanisms during PvP encounters.
  • The unfairness of matchmaking when pairing solo players against pre-made teams.

  Further analysis revealed that the negative sentiment towards PvP actually stemmed from issues with the loot system. The production staff shared their internal testing data: they had initially expected a satisfaction score of 3 for the loot system (on a hypothetical 5-point scale), but the first test yielded only 1.4, and the second test was even lower. This prompted the team to make significant overhauls to the system.

  This series of discoveries directly led to the creation of the current Aggression-Based Matchmaking system in the game. It also explains why each patch focuses on weapon adjustments and matchmaking optimizations—the developers are committed to using data feedback to solve problems in a targeted manner.

  It's highly likely that the team will continue to refine the matchmaking system, potentially even introducing a dedicated solo queue mode. As monthly content updates and seasonal events roll out, the game may evolve to include more cooperative and PvE elements, all while striving to maintain a balance between PvP and PvE gameplay.

  

  Update Plans

  The development team has long-term aspirations for ARC Raiders. They have explicitly stated their desire for the game to have a decade-long lifespan. Currently, the development direction remains open-ended; as long as new ideas align with the established worldview and the overarching vision for the player experience, all possibilities are on the table.

  Furthermore, the parent company of ARC Raiders highlighted the following points in its Q4 2025 financial report:

  • The game has a comprehensive annual content plan.
  • There will be monthly content updates and live operations.
  • ARC Raiders is projected to become a sustainable pillar business for the company.

  It's also worth noting that the CEO of the studio developing ARC Raiders has simultaneously taken on the role of Executive Chairman at the parent company. This, at the very least, suggests that in the short term, Arc Raiders will have ample resources and support to pursue its development goals.

  Revival of Old Content

  Throughout development, certain features and elements were adjusted or removed, including:

  • Movement speed adjustments.
  • Jump pads.
  • A specific type of Snap Hook.

  However, the most anticipated possibility is the return of a vehicle system. The development team stated that while they cannot guarantee its inclusion at this time, they do possess vehicle prototypes dating back seven years. Early trailers for the game featured a quad bike. During a GDC event, the production director mentioned that while these prototypes haven't been active for a while, it's too early to completely rule out their potential return.

  Considering the game's ten-year roadmap, the addition of vehicles could introduce more diverse traversal methods and enrich the open-world elements. If vehicles do make a comeback, players could potentially look forward to larger-scale maps and a more expansive exploration experience.

  The decisions made by ARC Raiders development team are not based solely on intuition but are strongly supported by concrete data. With its ten-year plan and open attitude towards player feedback, this is a game worth keeping an eye on, whether you're a PvE enthusiast or a PvP player.

• ARC Raiders Dam Controlled Access Zone Key farming and usage guide | The secret room you may be missing in Dam Battlegrounds Map

  While ARC Raiders Shrouded Sky update brought a wealth of content, more than two weeks have passed, and you should have already explored most of it.

  However, we reasonably suspect that there might be a secret room in the newly added Controlled Access Zone on Dam Battlegrounds map that you haven't found and entered yet - in fact, many players are unaware of it!

  This room requires a Dam Controlled Access Zone Key to enter; of course, before that, you'll need to unlock Controlled Access Zone. Below, we'll provide the most comprehensive unlocking guide.

  

  How to enter Controlled Access Zone?

  The importance of this area lies in the fact that it offers loot of generally higher value and quantity than other areas in Dam Battlegrounds, increasing the chances of finding rare ARC Raiders blueprints.

  To unlock this zone, you need to cooperate with three players to solve a puzzle. You can choose to team up with one or two friends and then randomly invite strangers to fill the vacancies (because the team size limit is three).

  However, we recommend entering alone and then finding three players to team up with near Controlled Access Zone using close-range chat. Teaming up increases the likelihood of PvP combat and delays in unlocking the zone.

  Unlocking the first door

  Controlled Access Zone is located slightly north of the center of Dam Battlegrounds. There are no restrictions on entering the zone; the puzzles primarily help you unlock the general loot room.

  To complete the puzzles, you and your three temporary teammates each need to find a hidden button, or one person can find one and inform the others. Here are the locations of each button:

  • Button 1: Find a battery on the ground floor and insert it into the electrical box opposite the main office on the top floor to open the main office door. Button 1 is inside.
  • Button 2: To the left of the locked door.
  • Button 3: Near the stairs.
  • Button 4: On top of the metal pipe.

  Once everyone holds one button and presses them simultaneously, the four lights above the first locked door will light up, opening the door. However, after exploring for a while, you will encounter a second locked door.

  Unlock the second door

  Opening this door requires submitting certain materials. The materials will change each time you re-enter the puzzle, but they are common items like wires, metal parts, or ARC Powercells.

  To save time, you can bring some materials into Controlled Access Zone beforehand. Even better if your partner does!

  After that, you can freely loot the zone. The loot is plentiful enough for four people to share. However, if uninvited guests appear, it's best to work together to deal with them.

  Dam Controlled Access Zone Key

  Besides the loot room unlocked by solving the puzzle, Controlled Access Zone also has a hidden room. It doesn't require solving a puzzle, but it can only be opened with Dam Controlled Access Zone Key.

  

  How to find this key?

  Although the key's drop rate was nerfed in Patch 1.18.0, you still have a high chance of finding it if you consistently farm in the following locations:

  • Dam Battlegrounds: Ruby Residence, Pale Appartments, and Pattern House
  • Buried City: Grandioso Apartments, Library, Offices, and Laboratory
  • Stella Montis: Security Checkpoint (Lockers)
  • Blue Gate: Reinforced Reception (Security Lockers)

  We highly recommend farming on these maps when events like Night Raids or Hurricanes spawn, which significantly increase loot drop rates. This should yield much better results.

  If you obtain many keys, you can sell them for 100 coins each. However, it's recommended to keep them to farm the corresponding rooms multiple times.

  How to find the secret room?

  After obtaining the key, travel to Controlled Access Zone, then go through the doorway to find a destroyed Rocketeer hanging on the cable network. Look down, and you'll find a small door.

  Jump down and use the key you find to open the door. You can then find and loot electrical panels, computers, drawers, and filing cabinets in the room. Opening them will reveal various rare blueprints or gear.

  It's worth noting that there are three routes to Controlled Access Zone, and the secret room will vary depending on your location. Here's how:

  • Enter from the bottom: Climb the broken catwalk and stairs until you find the door on the southwest side of the room.
  • Enter through a small ladder hole: This is the fastest route to the secret room, but you might encounter PvE enemies along the way.

  Is the secret room worth looting?

  Overall, the loot in this room is quite valuable, but due to the room's small size, the total amount of items you can obtain is actually quite limited.

  Therefore, we recommend looting this room only after a map event has spawned, especially the currently popular Hurricane, rather than wasting your key on regular raids.

  Nevertheless, this is still not the worst key room in ARC Raiders and is a good option for a small loot-collecting trip, especially if you can handle it solo.

  These are all the ways to unlock loot rooms in Controlled Access Zone. If you haven't fully explored this area yet, hurry up and follow our guide!

• ARC Raiders Destroy Swamp ARC Enemies Trial Guide: How to reach 4,000 points fast?

  How is your progress on this week's trial coming along? If you've avoided the peak hours and are just now logging in to start the challenge, this guide might be just what you need to catch up and help you aim for an even higher score. Here, we'll outline the best strategies for engaging and destroying ARC enemies within Swamp zone, allowing you to quickly rack up 4,000 points to claim your weekly 3-star reward and perhaps even secure a spot on the trial leaderboard!

  Scoring for this trial is strictly limited to destroying ARC enemies within Swamp area of ​​Dam Battlegrounds. You earn 400 points for every enemy kill, regardless of the enemy type. This means that even if you take down high-difficulty foes like Rocketeers or Leapers, you will still only receive 400 points per kill.

  

  Eliminating Small ARC Enemies

  Therefore, the fastest way to accumulate points is to focus on farming ARC enemies that you can eliminate with ease—specifically, Snitch, which we'll discuss next.

  Snitch is a small, unarmed ARC reconnaissance drone. Typically, landing just two shots on the white section of its body is enough to destroy it. More importantly, Snitches drop Snitch Scanners; picking one up triggers a distress signal that summons reinforcements—specifically, one Hornet and two Wasps. Under normal circumstances, this might be a nuisance; however, during this trial, having more ARC enemies show up is exactly what we're looking for.

  The best location for farming Snitches is Locked Gate activation zone. You can utilize Overlook Airshaft vantage point, as standing there gives you a clear line of sight to almost every Snitch currently on the map. Don't forget to bring along a Renegade rifle and a few Seeker Grenades; with this loadout, you can destroy Snitches with incredible ease and speed. During a previous run, we managed to kill a total of 19 Snitches in Locked Gate area in under 30 minutes—demonstrating just how efficient this farming spot truly is.

  As we mentioned, taking down a Snitch is quite simple: start by landing a single shot on it with your Renegade rifle, then wait for it to get a little closer before tossing a Seeker Grenade to deal the finishing blow. This playstyle consumes very little weapon ammo, offers exceptional cost-efficiency, and allows you to complete your farming objectives with great speed.

  Loadouts

  Regarding standard gear selection, we typically recommend bringing along a Wolfpack. However, given the prohibitively high cost of farming Wolfpacks, we suggest that players on a tight budget adjust their strategy slightly: forgo Wolfpack in favor of a Hullcracker paired with a generous supply of ammunition.

  As it turns out, this alternative strategy proves to be far more effective. It ensures that—throughout the entire match—we never encounter the frustrating situation where Snitch Scanners fail to successfully summon enemy reinforcements. This allows us to consistently and massively farm points using this method from the very start of the game until the end.

  Additionally, don't forget to bring along a weapon you feel comfortable with to deal with smaller enemies, such as Ticks, Fireballs, and Pops. Finally, equip a shield that suits your playstyle, along with enough healing supplies to sustain you and allow you to absorb damage throughout the entire duration of the challenge.

  Of course, the multitude of enemies you encounter will inevitably include large-scale ARC units, such as Bastions. However, it is crucial to grasp the core principle of this challenge: every single enemy you eliminate yields a mere 400 points. Consequently, there is absolutely no need to waste your time trying to take down formidable foes like Bastions; the points they provide simply do not justify the time and effort required to defeat them.

  

  Optimal Farming Zones & Tips

  Next, upon entering Dam Battlegrounds, head directly toward Hydroponic Dome area. For this specific challenge, Hydroponic Dome offers the highest potential for point accumulation. 

  If you find yourself deep within the swamp and are currently making your way toward Hydroponic Dome, this presents an excellent opportunity to utilize Snitch Scanners you acquired earlier; take the time to eliminate any Hornets and Wasps you encounter along the way, thereby allowing you to begin racking up points while you are still on the move.

  Once you arrive at Hydroponic Dome, we recommend prioritizing the elimination of all smaller enemies located within each of the rooms. Aim to clear out and secure the kill tallies for all these enemies before other Marauders arrive in the area. By doing so, you can ensure that—right from the opening stages of the match—you successfully capture every single point offered by every enemy present in that zone. 

  Additionally, always prioritize engaging enemies that spawn naturally on the map; you should only deploy Snitch Scanners when there are no naturally spawning enemies present, or when directly attacking them poses an unacceptably high risk. This strategy ensures you make the absolute most of every precious second spent within the swamp zone.

  Here is a small tip regarding the deployment of Snitch Scanners: whenever you throw them, try to ensure there is a reasonable amount of spacing between each one. This is because the more enemy corpses that pile up within your combat zone, the denser the smoke generated by those bodies becomes.

  If the smoke becomes too thick, it will obscure your vision, making it difficult to pinpoint enemy locations and hindering your ability to maneuver effectively. In some instances, fallen enemies may even get stuck, hovering motionless in mid-air rather than falling to the ground, thereby wasting valuable time that could otherwise be spent accumulating more points and increasing your kill count.

  Finally, it is worth noting that for the purpose of calculating your Trial score, you are only required to have dealt damage to an enemy, regardless of whether you personally delivered the killing blow or if the damage was inflicted cooperatively alongside other solo players. So, simply grab your weapon and go on a rampage, mowing down every ARC machine in sight!

  As the remaining time dwindles, keep a close eye on the exact location of the extraction point and begin making your way toward it. If you haven't had a chance to loot yet, be sure to grab any remaining gear on your way out—then sit back and watch your score skyrocket up the leaderboard!

• ARC Raiders March Flashpoint Update Release Date & Leaks | New Lightning Weather, ARC Enemies, & Scrappy Scam Rework!

  With nearly half of March already behind us, and in accordance with the previously released ARC Raiders 2026 roadmap, we can expect the brand-new Flashpoint update to arrive very soon.

  But before that happens, we're going to dive into the latest community buzz and various leaks to preview the changes likely coming in March Flashpoint update. This covers brand-new map conditions, new types of ARC enemies, the highly anticipated adjustments to the Scrappy, and of course, plenty more exciting content! Stay up to date with the latest game developments to ensure you get off to the best possible start once the patch goes live!

  

  Patch 1.19.0 Provides Compensation for Server Outages

  Before we officially discuss Flashpoint update, we should probably first touch upon Patch 1.19.0, which was released on March 10th. To be honest, this update wasn't particularly massive in scope; it consisted primarily of basic game fixes and the addition of two new cosmetic skins and outfits - nothing that would typically warrant extensive discussion on its own.

  However, at the very end of this patch's notes, the developers addressed the server outage issues that occurred last week. Because of this unexpected technical glitch, many players previously lost the loadouts they were carrying - even after successfully extracting from a mission - which sparked a significant number of complaints within the player community.

  While the developers haven't always issued responses to similar situations in the past, this particular server outage had an extremely severe impact on a large number of players. Consequently, they have decided to investigate each affected case individually and return any lost items to players whenever possible. So, if you happened to experience gear loss or similar glitches during that time, you can likely look forward to seeing those lost items returned to your account!

  Flashpoint Release Date Predictions

  Now, getting back to the major topic: as we mentioned, Flashpoint update is set to arrive sometime this month. Based on the official ARC Raiders 2026 content roadmap and the release patterns of previous updates, we can make a reasonable prediction regarding the timing of this upcoming release.

  Since the updates released in January and February maintained a consistent frequency—arriving roughly every four weeks—and were consistently scheduled for a specific weekday (usually a Tuesday), this suggests that the development team does not plan to drop sudden, surprise updates in the middle of the month. Instead, they appear to prefer maintaining a regular, predictable release schedule. Consequently, the prevailing speculation within the community points to March 24th through March 31st as the most logical target window for the release.

  With mid-March already upon us, the arrival of this Flashpoint update may happen even sooner than you anticipated.

  New Lightning Map Condition

  Regarding March Flashpoint update, the first topic we must address is undoubtedly the new weather condition they have teased. In fact, we believe that Patch 1.19.0—released on March 10th—likely served as a foundational update, laying the groundwork for this upcoming map condition.

  In Patch 1.19.0, the studio indeed reduced the frequency of lightning strikes during Electromagnetic Storm weather conditions. This adjustment was likely made to accommodate the brand-new Lightning weather condition set to be introduced in Flashpoint update. Therefore, we may soon encounter a weather condition that is even more severe and formidable than the pre-nerf Electromagnetic Storms.

  The primary focus of community discussion regarding this new weather condition centers on whether it will function as a passively triggered map modifier or as a dynamic in-game event. After all, both Electromagnetic Storm and Hurricane map condition—introduced in February Shrouded Sky update—exist merely as passive modifiers; they simply alter the environmental elements players must contend with while navigating the map.

  However, players are now hoping for the introduction of a dynamic event—something that would encourage them to actively venture into high-risk zones in pursuit of higher-tier ARC Raiders blueprints reward. Ultimately, however, we will have to wait and see how it plays out.

  New ARC Enemies

  Next, let's continue our discussion regarding ARC threats teased in the roadmap. Notably, we aren't just receiving a single new threat this time around; we are getting two brand-new additions: Rollerbot and Hammer. These are unique mechanical units that typically appear as elite enemies or specialized ambushers, designed to challenge players during extraction missions through their distinct attack patterns.

  Among them, Rollerbot is a massive, spherical mechanical enemy whose primary method of attack involves charging directly at players. It looks essentially like an enlarged version of Fireball unit, but with even more aggressive combat behavior. 

  Another variant, Hammer, is a highly aggressive flying drone—classified as a high-threat enemy within the game's combat scenarios—requiring players to employ specific tactical coordination to defeat it.

  

  These new additions are designed to introduce fresh challenges to ARC Raiders. Potentially accompanied by new, more aggressive enemy behavioral patterns, the task of survival and resource gathering on the surface world is set to become even more arduous for players.

  Scrappy Overhaul

  Finally, a major focal point of Flashpoint update is a comprehensive overhaul of Scrappy system.

  To be honest, Scrappy mechanic in ARC Raiders has long been a sore point for many players. The issue recently exploded into a heated debate following a Reddit post titled, "The 12% Scrappy Bonus Is a Lie."

  The player in that post noted that, based on tests conducted with friends, the 6% and 12% bonuses provided by Scrappy appear to be either non-functional or negligible, often failing to yield any significant increase in material acquisition. This is likely because the bonus applies only to the cumulative total of materials, rather than to the specific drops obtained during a single run; consequently, players are likely to see only minuscule actual gains—and only in specific, high-yield scenarios.

  Particularly with small quantities of materials, the 12% bonus is often rounded down to zero during calculations, resulting in absolutely no increase in actual yield. Even after completing multiple lengthy missions, players often end up with only one or two extra items.

  As a result, the 12% bonus feels utterly pointless; it appears to become truly effective—allowing you to gain an extra one or two resources per run—only once the bonus reaches the 18% threshold. Consequently, some players have gone so far as to label the entire system a "scam."

  Furthermore, the strict resource cap of 50 has been a source of frustration for many players. If you fail to clear your inventory in a timely manner, Scrappy will frequently cease collecting resources mid-run, effectively rendering your entire expedition a complete waste of time.

  Therefore, if the studio wishes to prevent Scrappy from being relegated to nothing more than a game mascot, they must—without question—implement adjustments to the system.

  As a side note: given Scrappy's current status within the game, the available cosmetic options for it are currently far too limited. Perhaps we can look forward to seeing some new cosmetic items added for Scrappy in this Flashpoint update—such as new hats or feather color variations. 

  In any case, ARC Raiders March Flashpoint update is just around the corner, and we will continue to keep you updated on the latest developments. Stay tuned for our in-depth breakdown to get a first look at the upcoming map modifiers, mechanical threats, and potential Scrappy cosmetic items!

• Fallen King or Still Essential? ARC Raiders Hullcracker Breakdown: Is It Still Meta after the Damage Nerf?

  Since its release, Hullcracker has been one of the most powerful and essential weapons in almost every PvE combat requiring heavy firepower. Especially against the Queen, it was practically a staple in every player's arsenal. Many players even soloed The Queen and The Matriarch with just Hullcracker. Furthermore, Hullcracker played a significant role against high-level ARC enemies such as Rocketeers, Bombardiers, Leapers, and Bastions.

  However, recently, because of a bug that caused Hullcracker to inflict multiple types of damage on certain body parts, the developers nerfed it and reduced its overall damage to balance the current in-game gear landscape.

  While Hullcracker's damage was significantly reduced, its ammo price also increased. Each shot is now very expensive. While it remains powerful, the increased need for accuracy and more ammo makes it more of a situational weapon than a universally applicable must-have.

  More importantly, as the game progresses, ARC Raiders adds many other weapons and equipment to counter large ARCs like The Queen and Matriarch. For example, Deadline Mine can easily one-shot Bastions, Bombardiers, and Rocketeers with a single hit, and also deals significant damage to The Queen.

  So, now the question is, is Hullcracker still necessary? Here, we'll share how to obtain and craft Hullcracker, reassess in which situations it remains useful, and whether it's worth the high cost in PvE scenarios.

  

  How to craft Hullcracker?

  Before you begin crafting, you'll first need to upgrade your Gunsmith to level 3 and prepare the blueprint. Blueprint drops are usually very random, but fortunately, Hullcracker blueprint is one of the few in the game that is guaranteed to drop by completing a quest.

  Obtaining the Blueprint

  This blueprint is primarily obtained as a reward from The Major's Footlocker quest. To begin this mission, players must first travel to the Dam Battlegrounds map and retrieve Major Aiva's mementos. These mementos are located in Ruby Residence apartment complex in the northwest of the map.

  However, be aware that hostile raiders are frequently stationed in this area, so be prepared for PvP encounters and have appropriate equipment.

  Next, head to the apartment on the third floor. Pass through the living room with its large windows, and you'll enter the kitchen area. Turn left into the adjoining bedroom, where you'll find a container on a table by the window. Interact with the container to find Major Aiva's mementos. Pick them up and store them in your Safe Pocket, then immediately evacuate and give them to Tian Wen. Once the mission is complete, you'll unlock ARC Raiders Hullcracker blueprint.

  If you haven't found a blueprint yet, you can check out the free blueprint giveaway currently being held on IGGM Discord. We will randomly select 20 lucky winners, each of whom can freely choose 4 blueprints, including Hullcracker blueprint! Hurry up and participate to try your luck!

  

  Finding Materials

  After obtaining the blueprint, you'll need some necessary materials to begin crafting, including 1 Magnetic Accelerator, 3 Heavy Gun Parts, and 1 Exodus Module.

  To obtain Magnetic Accelerator, focus your looting on the red lockers inside Rocket Assembly building on Spaceport map or Assembly Workshops on Stella Montis map. Alternatively, you can craft it on a high-level refiner bench using 2 Advanced Mechanical Components and 2 ARC Motion Cores.

  For Heavy Gun Parts, the best way to acquire them is by searching high-value areas such as Spaceport (Launch Tower), Dam (Control/Command Tower), and Stella Montis. You can also obtain them by recycling advanced weapons, spending seeds directly from the merchant Celeste, or looting containers such as Raider Caches, briefcases, and weapon cases.

  Finally, for Exodus Modules, head to Spaceport and loot the red lockers in Rocket Assembly building or Stella Montis Assembly hall, especially in the upper, non-intrusion areas. Alternatively, you can trade with Celeste daily for 55 seeds or recycle items like Geiger counters and Spectrum Analyzers.

  If you want to gather all the materials in the shortest time, we recommend prioritizing scavenging on Spaceport map. The materials needed aren't numerous, and following the instructions should take about ten minutes!

  Once you've gathered them, head to Gunsmith 3 to craft the epic ARC Armor Ripper, easily breaking through all heavily armored enemies!

  What scenarios is Hullcracker suitable for?

  In ARC Raiders, Hullcracker is a custom-designed high-damage grenade launcher specifically for PvE, designed to destroy large, heavily armored ARC mechs such as Bastions, Commandos, and Boss-tier enemies. However, it's ineffective against PvP players because its projectiles only detonate on mechanical targets.

  Despite being nerfed, Hullcracker remains ideal for dealing high damage to The Queen and Matriarch. It quickly strips away enemy protective armor, exposing the yellow weak points or red glowing cores of high-health enemies. Its high single-slot damage, in particular, allows for efficient and sustained output, enabling players to destroy dangerous threats, including Bastions and Rocketeers, faster than most other weapons. Typically, just 10-20 hits are enough to easily eliminate an opponent.

  Furthermore, its devastating high damage output makes this weapon a true king in challenging areas like Buried City! Each shot deals considerable damage to elite enemies (approximately 400-500 points). It's also effective against heavy threats, helping players survive in intense combat zones.

  Is it still worth using?

  However, before using Hullcracker, we must consider that recent updates have increased its crafting and ammo costs, making it more expensive to operate. Not only does it require a specific launcher ammo, but as a heavy weapon, it takes up a significant amount of backpack space. Meanwhile, its PvE-only nature puts you at a huge disadvantage in PvP combat. Equipping it makes you vulnerable to PvP attacks, and the benefits are minimal if you cannot retreat.

  Therefore, Hullcracker remains the preferred weapon for dealing high DPS against large armored threats like Bastions, Queens, and Matriarchs, especially in high-density, high-difficulty areas where it is virtually invincible.

  However, for general PvE combat, I must say it's not worthwhile. Against smaller enemies, Hullcracker's power is excessive and its cost is too high, making it a poor investment.

  You can switch to more cost-effective alternatives, such as Blaze grenades and Wolfpacks, for more economical PvE farming, and consider Hullcracker a special, expensive weapon designed solely for boss fights.

  In short, Hullcracker is only worth having if you're targeting specific high-level bosses and can afford the high ammo costs. Otherwise, more cost-effective and efficient alternatives are the better choice.