ARC Raiders Update 1.38.0 Review: Matchmaking Finally Gets Fixed, But that's Nowhere Near Enough

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• Does ARC Raiders Need a PvE Mode? | Community Demand, Developer Signals, and Future Possibilities

  It must be admitted that ever since the developers announced the next major update for ARC Raiders would not arrive for several months, the online player count has been declining in a way that seems impossible to curb.

  Although roughly ten thousand loyal players still remain in the game each day, the in-game environment has suffered serious damage, which has sparked a recurring topic among the community: does ARC Raiders need a dedicated PvE mode?

  

  Official Signals

  When it comes to a PvE mode, the developers' own moves are far more telling than any speculation on our part. And in the face of shrinking active numbers, there are signs that they are indeed considering a pure PvE offering.

  THE FINALS

  Even though ARC Raiders has not yet received a PvE mode, THE FINALS - a title that leans more heavily into PvP - has actually introduced PvE first.

  AI opponents in THE FINALS are no pushovers; you cannot treat them as mindless bots, because their aim is actually quite impressive.

  But the real question is why the developers would roll out a PvE mode in THE FINALS rather than in ARC Raiders, where the community has been clamouring for it far more loudly.

  This might be a harbinger for ARC Raiders' own PvE future. The PvE mode in THE FINALS could serve as an early test run, given that ARC Raiders features larger maps and much more complex environments. The team can first gauge AI performance and appropriate difficulty levels in THE FINALS, so that when such systems eventually appear in ARC Raiders, they will feel more natural.

  Rebellion Incident

  If we look further back, a PvE-style mode has actually already gone live in China. Notably, this was not developed by the official studio, but rather by a Chinese workshop.

  Rebellion Incident is a highly creative map condition that carries PvE traits. At the start of a match, all players are in a non-hostile state by default, unable to harm each other, unless you actively choose to become a rogue.

  You can voluntarily activate the rogue status. Once activated, your backpack lights up with a red warning beacon, making it clear to everyone around you that you have turned hostile.

  As a rogue, you can attack anyone, but anyone can also attack you. For those who have not turned rogue, it is very easy to figure out who the target should be.

  This mode is currently available only on Chinese servers, and for players who do not understand Chinese, trying to join those servers is quite challenging. Whether this mode will eventually come to European and North American servers - well, it is certainly a possibility.

  Official Stance

  There is, in fact, some pessimistic news: the creative director of ARC Raiders had already made their position very clear. They stated that they would not introduce a PvE mode, because they wanted players to remain under constant pressure during matches, always on guard against threats from both ARC and other players. A pure PvE mode, in their view, would run counter to their design philosophy.

  If that were all you knew, you would certainly think that a PvE mode was off the table. But times have changed. When that statement was made, the player base of ARC Raiders was at its peak; now the numbers have dwindled to only a fraction of that, and keeping the game alive has become the most pressing concern for the development team.

  A major reason for the sharp drop in ARC Raiders' population is simply that the developers cannot produce content fast enough. Neither the maps nor the loot collection can offer players anything fresh anymore, and placing the next significant update several months down the line was hardly a wise decision.

  If the team lacks enough developers to create brand-new content, then consistently introducing new modes is probably the best way to sustain the game's momentum. Designing new map conditions on top of existing environments does not consume too many extra art resources, so this is well within their reach. And the PvE mode that the community has been asking for so loudly is one such solution.

  Why No PvE Mode Yet?

  But a PvE mode is not simply a matter of turning off PvP damage; there are more nuanced issues to consider.

  The first question is whether the inventory for the PvE mode should be separate from that of the main mode. It is hard to ensure that the difficulty levels of PvE and the core mode remain equivalent. If the gap in difficulty is large, players might grind for ARC Raiders items in the easier mode and then take them into the harder mode for combat.

  If the two inventories are not shared, that forces players to engage with both sets of content. And if the rewards differ between the two modes, that could create FOMO and add extra pressure on players.

  Benefits of a PvE Mode

  Although a PvE mode cannot solve every problem that ARC Raiders faces, it could certainly bring back those players who have already quit but originally loved the game.

  Moreover, there are millions of players in the market who enjoy cooperative, open-world looter-shooters and co-op multiplayer experiences - they may never have tried an extraction shooter precisely because they know PvP is not their cup of tea. A PvE mode could change that.

  With endgame content, PvE, and more map conditions , ARC Raiders has every chance to reclaim its former glory and attract hundreds of thousands of players again. All of that hinges on whether the developers can stay committed and truly deliver a transformative change with October update.

• ARC Raiders Expedition 4 Departure Window Bug Being Resolved | No Need to Worry about the Game's Future Just Yet!

  While there haven't been any major updates to ARC Raiders recently, meaning there are no complex new mechanics to master, players still need to stay alert for changes caused by routine updates or bugs.

  For instance, a registration issue recently cropped up, likely due to the impending end of Expedition 4 window and the developers' recent focus on tackling cheaters.

  Here, we'll cover the details of this bug and its fix, and analyze the game's potential trajectory leading up to the major October update.

  

  What is Expedition 4 window departure bug?

  This window began on July 7 and concludes the next Monday, July 21. Players who hit specific damage output targets during this period earn permanent rewards that become available after the next reset.

  However, a bug surfaced a couple of days ago: if a player hit the 100,000 damage target, the system would sometimes automatically register them for a departure without their input.

  While many players might have intended to sign up anyway, others might have had different plans, such as simply testing their maximum damage output without intending to commit to a full expedition.

  Has the bug been fixed?

  To address this, ARC Raiders development team rolled out a fix to cancel these automatic registrations, processing the changes in batches starting at 10:00 AM (UK time) on July 17. Consequently, the issue may already be resolved for some players.

  That said, the fix arrived quite late, and there is a chance some players might have been missed before the weekend. If you want your registration cancelled but haven't seen the change take effect, it is best to contact the development team directly to resolve the issue.

  Even if you weren't affected by the bug because you haven't hit the target yet, don't let your guard down; if you do plan to join a Departure, time is running out to rack up that required damage!

  To deal enough damage within the allotted time, you need to choose the right enemy types and combat zones, as well as the appropriate weaponry.

  If your preferred strategy involves using ARC Assessors to lure in swarms of smaller enemies for a concentrated takedown, then a good supply of grenades paired with high-fire-rate ARC Raiders items, such as the Bobcat, makes for an ideal setup.

  Once enemies have gathered, start by throwing a grenade or detonating a pre-planted mine to deal widespread damage; then, while ensuring your own safety, use Bobcat's high rate of fire to take out any stragglers.

  However, keep in mind that high-fire-rate SMGs like Bobcat often suffer from inherently poor accuracy, so it is best to equip reliable attachments to boost its overall effectiveness.

  PvE mode is unlikely to be added in the short term

  Although ARC Raiders is a PvPvE game, its unique world-building has led players to call for a standalone PvE mode ever since its launch.

  In the Chinese closed beta version released in June, ARC Raiders introduced Rebellion Incident as a special new game mode. While not strictly a pure PvE mode, it offers significant autonomy, meaning you can decide for yourself whether to engage in PvP chaos.

  Consequently, many Western players are eager for the development team to bring this feature to the global servers, or introduce something similar, to fill the gap before the next major update.

  Unfortunately, this hope is likely to go unfulfilled, at least in the short term, because The Finals, another first-person shooter from the same development team, has recently added a PvE mode.

  While the gameplay differs, the core mechanics are very similar; launching PvE modes for both games in quick succession would inevitably split the player base and hurt the performance of The Finals.

  Speaking of Rebellion Incident, the mode has also drawn some global server players to try out the Chinese version. Since the Chinese version is still in beta, the mode has its rough edges, but it serves as a fun diversion while waiting for the official update on global servers.

  Don't panic over the drop in player numbers

  The lack of updates has caused a sharp decline in ARC Raiders' concurrent player count. Even if you think you can tide yourself over until October by just doing daily tasks, you might worry the game will die out before then.

  However, even without changes to the update schedule, it is perfectly normal for a major live-service game to experience high player attrition after its post-launch peak.

  Rather than a sign of decline, this trend reflects a natural, inevitable pattern. Take Helldivers 2, a game in a similar situation to ARC Raiders, as an example: although its current player count has dropped significantly from its peak, the numbers still surge whenever a new update is released.

  Therefore, the key issue isn't the decline in concurrent players, but rather whether the remaining core player base is cohesive enough to quickly return once ARC Raiders launches new updates.

  The Finals, which comes from the same development team, saw its peak concurrent player count hit over 200,000, only to lose nearly 79% of its players within three months, a much more drastic trend than what ARC Raiders has experienced.

  However, following the recent launch of a new season and an ARC Raiders crossover, The Finals saw a substantial rebound in player numbers.

  So, provided the subsequent content is of high quality, ARC Raiders can still achieve a genuine resurgence, at least, that is the current expectation.

  We hope the information shared here proves useful for your future ARC Raiders experience. Thank you for reading.

• ARC Raiders after Denuvo Anti-Cheat | Has the Cheating Crisis Finally Been Solved?

  ARC Raiders has long been plagued by cheaters. By mid-June, the vast majority of matches saw players encountering disruptive cheaters, and that harassment drove a portion of the player base to quit.

  The official response came in June 30 update, which rolled out Denuvo Anti-Cheat for all players. But has the measure actually worked? Has the cheating situation truly been brought under control?

  

  What Is Denuvo Anti-Cheat?

  Many players may still be unclear about what Denuvo Anti-Cheat really is. In simple terms, it is a highly intrusive anti-cheat program, similar to Vanguard anti-cheat system, and both operate with extremely high system privileges.

  Denuvo Anti-Cheat can access nearly everything on your computer, all the way down to the system level. It is a kernel-level anti-cheat solution with ring-zero permissions.

  Unlike Vanguard, Denuvo Anti-Cheat is only installed and activated when you access multiplayer features. Even so, this represents the highest level of intrusion achievable in the anti-cheat field.

  Given the rampant cheating in ARC Raiders, less intrusive anti-cheat systems have fundamental limitations.

  You can think of your computer as an onion-like security system with multiple layers of defense. If a malicious program hides closer to the center of that onion, the outer layers cannot reach it. A great many cheating programs prefer to lodge themselves in the deepest system layers, and only kernel-level anti-cheat can penetrate those levels to detect violations effectively.

  The officials have stated that they will not use Denuvo's DRM service, because that service can significantly drag down frame rates when it malfunctions. As a result, players should basically not encounter frame drops or other performance issues during gameplay.

  Has Denuvo Anti-Cheat Been Effective?

  Item Duplication

  First, it is worth clarifying which players ARC Raiders is focusing on. Those using cheating software are certainly among them, followed by players who maliciously exploit game glitches.

  The most classic example is the item duplication glitch, which can severely disrupt the game's economy. Previously, players exploited a vulnerability that made rubber ducks essentially worthless.

  The officials have never seemed able to fully fix the item duplication problem. Even after Patch 1.37.0, players could still find ways to duplicate items.

  Although the officials could not immediately patch the vulnerability, they could at least take action against those who exploited it. If player data shows anomalies, they can easily identify the offenders.

  In Patch 1.37.0 announcement, the officials stated that they had launched a wave of account suspensions and inventory confiscations. Penalties included warnings, seizure of all illicitly obtained in-game currency and items, and account bans.

  The officials indicated that players who inadvertently came into contact with duplicated items would most likely not face bans. Enforcement efforts were aimed primarily at those who deliberately and severely abused the glitch.

  These efforts have yielded results. According to official data, the proportion of players suspected of using duplication exploits has dropped to below 1 percent, the lowest level in several months.

  Cheating players

  Beyond the duplication glitch, the official anti-cheat team has identified and taken down the largest cheat tool maker, which served thousands of users.

  At present, only ARC Raiders has successfully fended off this particular cheat tool. Other popular titles such as Marvel Rivals, Delta Force, and Apex Legends remain plagued by the same tool.

  However, this is only a temporary victory. The battle between the development team and cheat creators has always been a back-and-forth struggle.

  The Impact of Mass Ban Waves

  The officials have not only taken action against cheat software providers but have also rolled out large-scale ban waves that removed a great number of offending players. Yet this move has produced a side effect: a notable drop in the player count, because many of the banned accounts were part of the active player community.

  ARC Raiders' daily active player count on Steam has fallen to around 16,000. That is the lowest figure the game has ever recorded, and it had never dropped to such a low level in any previous operational cycle.

  While Steam data does not reflect the player numbers on consoles, Steam remains a major gaming platform, so the downward trend there still offers a useful reference.

  On the other hand, the cheat tool makers may have slowed their development precisely because ARC Raiders' player base has shrunk. If the player count rebounds, new cheating methods will likely emerge as well.

  Server Instability

  Some players believe that Denuvo Anti-Cheat causes game instability, but in reality the issue stems from the game servers themselves.

  Despite ARC Raiders' large player base, it has actually been sharing server infrastructure with THE FINALS. When THE FINALS servers encounter problems, ARC Raiders often goes down at the same time.

  Unless the officials decide to separate the two server systems, this problem will probably remain difficult to resolve completely.

  ARC Raiders is going through a difficult period. While the officials' anti-cheat efforts are commendable, the game still faces multiple challenges, including a lack of content, server instability, and player attrition. Perhaps October update can rescue ARC Raiders, but it will also have to contend with competition from other games.

  ---

  Currently, there are no known item duplication exploits, and cheaters have been banned; this may well be the cleanest state ARC Raiders has ever been in.

  You can buy ARC Raiders blueprints from IGGM to make weapon and return to explore the wastelands of Speranza. However, you cannot let your guard down completely - while the cheaters have been banned, rats are still lurking everywhere.

• Stop Wasting 30 Minutes in Buried City! This ARC Raiders Route Gets Maximum Loot Fast

  ARC Raiders Trials Season 5 has begun, and the trials feel more difficult than before. To complete the trials perfectly, you'll probably need some weapons to your advantage.

  As everyone knows, Buried City map is one of the best places to loot in ARC Raiders, but if you spend 20 to 30 minutes in Buried City every time, you're likely wasting a lot of time. The longer you stay there, the more players you'll encounter, the more unnecessary battles you'll have, and the slower your progress will become.

  This article will teach you how to quickly loot Buried City in ARC Raiders while finding blueprints, earning coins, and collecting the materials you really need. Let's take a look.

  

  Looting Route

  This article outlines the fastest looting route in Buried City, as follows:

  Plaza Rosa Pharmacy

  We recommend starting your Buried City map farming at Plaza Rosa Pharmacy. The containers are highly concentrated here, allowing you to quickly find the items you want, even blueprints.

  Street-side Breach Room

  Next to Plaza Rosa Pharmacy is Street-side Breach Room. This location has less foot traffic but yields a higher amount of loot, including weapon cases.

  Santa Maria Houses

  Next is Santa Maria Houses, this is also a good place to obtain ARC Raiders Blueprints early in the game. However, check quickly - if it looks like it's been looted, leave immediately. The key is not to waste time in dead ends.

  Red Tower

  This unmarked building located between Santa Maria, and the second pharmacy is an often overlooked treasure trove. It's an excellent location for finding weapon cases and blueprints, treasures that many experienced players often miss. If you can find it, you might get ahead of other players.

  Plaza Bristol Pharmacy

  This is the second pharmacy on ARC Raiders Buried City map, but it might have fewer containers than the first one, so just check it quickly for any missed accessories and the occasional blueprint.

  Space Travel Building

  Space Travel Building is one of the best blueprint locations on the map. Prioritize checking floors 3, 5, and 6, as these floors have the most valuable containers. If it's already been half-looted, just sweep through the untouched floors.

  It's recommended to loot from top to bottom. You can use a snap hook to quickly reach the higher floors you want to go to, but be careful, someone might shoot you from the window while you're looting.

  Research Building

  Next to Space Travel Building, after looting it, quickly head to Research Building. This is a very good looting spot, with more drawers and usually less competition than other main buildings.

  Hospital

  The rooftop of Hospital is the real treasure trove in ARC Raiders Buried City. Please bring the zipline; it's essential for reaching the best containers and weapon crates on the roof. Without it, the hospital's value is significantly reduced.

  Library

  This is an excellent location for finding gadgets (like statues and music boxes) and weapon crates. Don't underestimate these seemingly insignificant items; although small in size, they are quite valuable, with each music box worth 5,000 ARC Raiders Coins.

  Marano Station

  This is an excellent late-game looting spot, and we'll use it as your final destination. Why? Because the area is close to the extraction hatch, making it both safe and rich in loot. In Marano Station, I recommend checking the weapon crates on the roof first, then heading to the breachable room below.

  Key Loot Priorities and Pro Tips

  Prioritize

  Your primary objective is to acquire as many ARC Raiders Blueprints as possible, followed by high-quality valuables that take up little space (such as Fine Wristwatches and Music Boxes), and lastly, weapon crates, which may contain some guns and parts. 

  Focus on Efficiency

  Don't get stuck. The golden rule for efficiently farming loot is to keep moving fast. If a building looks completely looted, don't linger. Never hope that someone ahead of you might have missed something; the chances are extremely slim, and even if they did, the loot won't be plentiful, so don't waste your time.

  Always remember that the key to success is to proceed to high-value areas in a logical order, minimizing travel time and maximizing your chances of finding untouched containers.

  Essential Equipments

  First, a zipline is highly recommended to unlock top-tier loot at higher levels, such as the hospital rooftop. Second, smoke grenades are also crucial for escape. Remember, our mission is to acquire more loot, not fight, so avoid unnecessary combat.

  Expected Rewards

  Completing a mission quickly and efficiently along this route typically yields 1-3 blueprints and loot worth over 100,000 coins. With a bit of luck and quick reflexes, a perfect mission can yield loot worth over 150,000 coins and 4 blueprints.

  This article outlines the method and route for scavenging Buried City map in ARC Raiders. Following this route and method will allow you to get ahead of other players, quickly gather a full inventory of materials, and make your escape. It's not actually that difficult, so give it a try!

  Whether you need blueprints, items, or coins, you can find them along this path. Once you have enough ARC Raiders resources, you can better complete your Trials. Good luck, Raider!

• ARC Raiders Store Update 1.37.0 is Live: New Driftcoat Skins Drop Alongside Promised Seeker Grenade Fix

  Raiders, ARC Raiders Store Update 1.37.0 has been rolled out across all platforms. This update, though small in scale, directly addresses three of the most pressing issues for players recently: Seeker Grenade's inconsistent feel, the automatic registration bug, and the final punishment for duplication glitch - issues that may have bothered you in ARC Raiders as well.

  Now, let's take a look at all the content of Update 1.37.0 and its background.

  New Cosmetic Features

  Update 1.37.0 adds two new color variations to the existing Driftcoat outfit: black and green, and red.

  All player accounts that already owned this skin before this update will automatically receive these two new color variations without requiring any additional downloads or client restarts.

  This change is purely cosmetic and does not involve any attribute or performance adjustments in ARC Raiders.

  

  Seeker Grenade Bug Fix

  Since last week's Update 1.36.0, players have been reporting to the official team that the actual damage effect or trigger probability of Seeker Grenade is significantly lower than before the update.

  This issue has now been confirmed by the official team's internal investigation. It was not an intentional balance change, but rather stemmed from adjustments to the projectile collision detection logic in Update 1.36.0.

  Unexpectedly, this adjustment affected the explosion trigger conditions and damage decay calculation method of Seeker Grenade, resulting in its weaker-than-expected performance in actual ARC Raiders matches.

  The development team has identified the cause of the bug and is working on a fix patch, but the specific deployment time will be announced separately.

  Automatic System Registration Issue

  Meanwhile, the official team also confirmed another programmatic bug: some players, after completing Deal Damage challenge (i.e., accumulating 100,000 damage), had their accounts automatically added to Departure by the system without prior player consent or explicit options.

  This trigger is an unintended logical error outside of design, and was not intentionally designed by the development team to guide players into Departure.

  Currently, the relevant technical staff are investigating and actively fixing this issue to prevent similar situations from recurring and causing problems for players after completing subsequent challenges.

  Impact of the Duplication Glitch

  The most impactful part of this Update 1.37.0 is the implementation of accountability measures for the duplication glitch that occurred earlier this month.

  This vulnerability allowed players in ARC Raiders to infinitely duplicate in-game items through specific actions, including Rubber Ducks, Ziplines, various consumables, and explosives.

  Because ARC Raiders is a survival shooter, its core economic logic is based on the scarcity of various items and the equivalence of risk and reward: the value of your ARC Raiders items determines your extraction gains, and death means total loss.

  When this infinite item duplication vulnerability spreads within the player community, the economic value system in ARC Raiders collapses. Without the pressure of risk, even long-term players' motivation to play will gradually weaken.

  Specific Penalties

  This duplication glitch began spreading widely in early July, following a similar incident in February. Therefore, the handling of this update follows the tiered penalty rules from February, with penalties divided into three levels.

  Level 1: Warning

  For accounts with minor violations - limited abuse that doesn't significantly affect ARC Raiders' economy or the experience of others - only a warning will be issued.

  Level 2: Item Retrieval

  For accounts with moderate violations - duplication on a certain scale but not yet causing serious damage - all coins and related items generated by the vulnerability will be reclaimed.

  Level 3: Account Suspension

  For accounts that intentionally and extensively exploit the vulnerability, causing significant negative effects on the game's economic balance or the experience of other players, account suspension will be imposed.

  The development team has also clarified the boundaries of these penalties: players who patched the vulnerability but did not gain a substantial advantage will not have their accounts banned.

  For players who accidentally received a small amount of items from duplicators simply because they were in a party or trading, and who did not actively participate in the duplication process, they received at most a single warning.

  It's believed the development team only aimed to target players who intentionally broke the game rules, and didn't intend to broaden the punishment for passively affected players.

  Overall, Store Update 1.37.0 added various outfit color schemes, fixed issues reported by players regarding grenade malfunctions and automatic registration, and focused on addressing the duplication glitch issue reported by players.

  The official team also promised to finalize Seeker Grenade and automatic registration issues in a future patch.

  Although ARC Raiders has been facing criticism since the update pace slowed down, we can still believe that the development team is treating players positively, and this extraction shooter hasn't been abandoned.

  Because we can see that the development team is working hard to maintain a healthy economy and regain players' trust.

  Those warnings and item recalls - are they really punishments? This is simply a response to the player community, letting everyone know that the game won't tolerate those who break the rules, nor will it let normal players down.

  Let's patiently wait for those annoying bugs to be fixed in ARC Raiders, because at least we've seen the development team's determination in Update 1.37.0, haven't we?

• ARC Raiders Expedition 4 Window Strategies to Smash the 100k Damage Milestone for Permanent Rewards

  During this period without major updates, one of the few ways to make meaningful progress in ARC Raiders is by participating in Expeditions to earn permanent rewards that will benefit you in future seasons.

  During the two-week Expedition 4 window starting July 7, completing a mission to deal a cumulative total of 100,000 damage will unlock random blueprints and Raider Tokens as rewards!

  Meeting this requirement takes some skill, as 100,000 is no small figure. While you can still earn rewards by hitting lower milestones if you don't reach the ultimate goal, more is always better!

  With that in mind, here are some tips on combining map features and enemy types to maximize your damage output in a short amount of time.

  

  Farming in Close Scrutiny

  Since the event window hasn't reset yet, you can use any weapons currently in your inventory. However, we recommend prioritizing Hullcracker and Jupiter, and fully upgrading Hullcracker if possible.

  Jupiter is ideal for engaging enemies at a distance, allowing you to pull distant ARC units closer, while Hullcracker is a powerful weapon for taking down heavy ARC units.

  In addition to firearms, we recommend bringing plenty of mines or grenades, such as Wolfpacks or Deadlines. If you lack them or don't have enough, you should immediately buy IGGM ARC Raiders blueprints and craft the gear in the workshop.

  Once your gear is set, avoid simply entering the map for a raid in the default state; instead, wait for events to spawn for greater efficiency. We recommend starting with Close Scrutiny event.

  Stay on the battlefield for as long as possible during the event, at least 30 minutes, while constantly moving toward ARC Assessor's location. Getting within effective range of this enemy allows you to eliminate numerous smaller ARC units.

  New ARC Assessors will drop in every few minutes; as you move between them, you can continue racking up damage by eliminating smaller ARC units along the way.

  With enough skill, you can deal up to 20,000 damage in a single Close Scrutiny run. Furthermore, the specific layout of the map doesn't matter much during Close Scrutiny event; simply keep moving toward the various ARC Assessors and eliminate any enemies you encounter along the way.

  Early in Expedition 4 window, facing off against Rocketeers and Vaporizers solo during Close Scrutiny can be challenging, as other players will also be hunting them.

  You risk not only losing the kill to a competitor but also being taken out by aggressive PvP players.

  However, now that the event window is past its halfway mark, the situation has eased up, making it a great time to get involved. If your gear is powerful enough, you can also try taking down Bastions and Bombardiers.

  Farming in Hidden Bunker

  This event takes place exclusively on ARC Raiders Spaceport map. Its advantage lies in its simple mechanics, with the enemy roster consisting primarily of Bastions and Bombardiers mentioned earlier. With a bit of luck, you can rack up as much as 40,000 damage in a single run.

  To participate, head deep into Spaceport Departure Building after the event spawns. ARC units are more likely to appear at specific spawn points there; once you kill one, the next will respawn in about 5 to 10 minutes.

  While waiting for them to respawn, you can scour other areas of Departure Building and eliminate any other ARC units you come across.

  Defeating Queen and Matriarch

  As the most powerful heavy ARC units currently known, ARC Raiders Queen and Matriarch offer the best opportunity to accumulate massive damage in a single battle. They appear during Harvester and Matriarch events, respectively.

  Keep in mind that maximizing your damage output against them requires a significant investment of resources, specifically items like Wolfpacks or Deadlines mentioned earlier.

  As for the strategy to defeat these two ARC types, you are likely already familiar with it: focus your fire on their legs first, and once they lose their balance, attack their exposed cores.

  

  Farming in Locked Gate

  This event takes place on Blue Gate map and lasts for a full 40 minutes, giving you plenty of time to eliminate as many enemies as possible. The key is to keep a close watch on the areas surrounding the various checkpoints to spot more targets.

  You can also move to higher ground above the checkpoints to gain a different firing angle and focus your attacks from there.

  The most common high-yield ARCs remain Bastion and Bombardier; you may also occasionally encounter Leapers in outlying areas, which offer a chance to rack up some extra damage.

  Exploring Buried City and Riven Tides maps

  On Buried City map, you can locate more enemies by patrolling back and forth between several key areas.

  After spawning on one side of the map, immediately travel to the nearest ARC spawn point; shoot any enemies you encounter, especially flying ones, while en route to your target zone.

  Once you reach the area near the hospital, you will encounter clusters of Bastions. After eliminating them, head back to Old Town, clearing out any ARCs along the way.

  As for Riven Tides map, its main advantage is an extremely high ARC spawn rate. In addition to the familiar heavy ground-based ARCs, flying enemies appear frequently.

  Therefore, the key to dealing sufficient damage on this map is to secure a favorable vantage point and take down as many enemies as possible.

  A solid strategy is to position yourself on the small hill overlooking the extraction point and utilize high-trajectory shots.

  To accumulate the required damage quickly, consider dedicating a few days, such as the weekend, to focusing on these missions and earning rewards. These rewards will help you progress faster in Season 5!