The Unwritten Rules of ARC Raiders Explained

Extraction shooters like ARC Raiders are full of do's and don'ts that evolve as the community grows, and with tests like the server slam leading up to launch, the game has already seen a set of unwritten rules for player conduct develop. While ARC Raiders doesn't require players to follow these rules, the community at large tends to abide by them to create an environment where all players can be successful. With ARC Raiders already hitting over 300,000 players on Steam alone, it's clear that following these rules has fostered an accessible and engaging community.

Aside from simply learning the meta and how to most efficiently find resources while completing ARC Raiders' quests, the multiplayer aspect of the game is the primary source of the community's unwritten rules. ARC Raiders gives players all the tools for success within its moment-to-moment gameplay, but the guidelines developed by the community will help players understand the social aspect of ARC Raiders as the game grows. As such, starting off on the right foot with the other Raiders of Speranza will set players up for the best ARC Raiders experience possible.

The Unwritten Rules for Success in ARC Raiders

Always Be Prepared to Lose Your Gear

As a PvPvE extraction shooter, dying in a match before extracting means losing out on any items the player has on them. With the expectation that players can lose their gear at any time, deciding what to take along when queuing for a match requires a good deal of thought. It's not necessarily in the player's best interest to pack all of their best ARC Raiders weapons unless they plan to group up to tackle a Night Raid or other content where strong gear is going to be necessary, since there's nothing worse than dying unexpectedly to another Raider and losing some hard-earned loot.

ARC Raiders offers players the option to take a Free Loadout of basic gear into the Rust Belt if they don't want to risk losing their best weapons. This option is perfect for players dropping in just to complete quests.

Words Often Speak Louder than Guns

Communicating with other Raiders is a crucial part of the ARC Raiders experience. Not only does ARC Raiders offer proximity chat for solo players with microphones to use, but in-game voice and emote options also allow players without mics to communicate. Often, other players are likely to be friendly to players who chat or use the "Don't Shoot" voice line, since no one wants to lose their loot. Rather than shooting on sight, talking to other Raiders frequently results in unexpected team-ups, or at least a parting of ways without the need for violence.

Camping an Extraction Point is Bad Manners

Even with a large portion of the ARC Raiders community dedicated to friendly interactions, PvP combat is still expected, and players will need to prepare for hostile players. However, even if players choose to engage in ARC Raiders' PvP, it's widely viewed as unacceptable to camp extraction points and wait for players heading back to Speranza. This behavior is seen as rude by the community, since extraction points are hot spots for players trying to escape from pursuing ARCs, and it's frowned upon to kill those who are just about to return to Speranza with their loot.

Players worried about extraction point campers can quickly escape through Raider Hatches, provided they have a key.

ARCs are the Main Threat – Help Raiders When You Can

Despite the PvP component, the majority of enemies players will be fighting in ARC Raiders are the ARC themselves. These machines are far more dangerous and prevalent than other human players, with a range of different variations to encounter:

Snitches
Wasps
Hornets
Pops
Fireballs
Ticks
Turrets
Sentinels
Rocketeers
Leapers
Spotters
Bastions
Bombadiers
Surveyors
The Queen

It's easy to fall prey to even one or two Wasps or Pops if players aren't careful, so teaming up with a squad of Raiders or other solo players is usually more beneficial than fighting them. Some of the best community moments in ARC Raiders happen when random players join forces to take down a threatening ARC and share in the rewards. For the benefit of all players, prioritizing ARCs over other Raiders is often the best course of action.

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