Jumping into a new game like Arc Raiders can feel exciting and a little scary. It’s a high-stakes world where one wrong move can send you back to the lobby with empty pockets. If you’re new to this type of game, you might worry about losing all your gear or getting outplayed by veteran players.
Don’t worry, every expert was once a beginner. This guide is built to give you the most important Arc Raiders beginner tips to help you survive and even succeed in your first raids. By focusing on smart decisions, you’ll learn how to get valuable loot, deal with robotic threats, and make it out alive.
For those ready to drop in immediately, here are the most critical takeaways from this guide:
| Tip | Why It’s Important |
| Use the Free Loadout | It costs you nothing. It’s perfect for learning the map and game mechanics without risking your own valuable gear. |
| Stick to White Zones | These are the safest areas on the map. They have basic loot but fewer dangerous robots and other players. |
| Protect Your Safe Box | Any items you put in your Safe Box are yours to keep, even if you die. Always secure your most valuable finds first. |
| Sound is Your #1 Tool | Footsteps, gunfire, and robot noises tell you where danger is. Stay quiet to stay hidden, and listen carefully. |
| Don’t Fight Everyone | Running away is often the smartest move. It’s better to escape with some loot than to die fighting for more. |
Arc Raiders, from developer Embark Studios, is an extraction shooter. Think of it like a treasure hunt with high stakes. You and other players drop into a large map to complete missions and find valuable items, all while fighting deadly ARC Robots.
The goal isn’t just to be the last one standing. It’s to find loot and “extract,” which means leaving the map at a specific exit point. If you die before you extract, you lose almost everything you were carrying.
This mix of fighting robots and clashing with other players over the best gear makes every raid a tense, unique adventure. Our guide focuses on making sure those adventures end with you successfully extracting. If you want to know more about the game itself, you can visit the official Arc Raiders website.
To get you started on the right foot, here are seven simple but powerful tips that will dramatically improve your chances of survival.
When you’re just starting, you won’t have much gear. The game offers you a Free Loadout before each raid. Take it! This gives you a basic set of weapons and items at no cost.
Using the free gear is the best way to learn the map, figure out how different guns feel, and understand where the extraction points are. If you die, you lose nothing. The only downside is that you can’t use your personal Safe Box with a free loadout, so you can’t protect any amazing loot you find.
The map in Arc Raiders is divided into different colored zones that tell you about the danger and quality of loot in that area.
As a beginner, stick to the white and the edges of orange zones. This strategy will help you build up your gear and confidence before tackling the high-risk areas. Proper looting is about being smart, not just brave.
When you bring your own gear into a raid, you get access to a Safe Box. This is a small, secure container in your inventory. Anything you put inside it is safe, even if you die.
You start with a couple of slots. If you find a rare weapon part or a valuable keycard, immediately move it to your Safe Box. This guarantees that you are slowly but surely building wealth, no matter how a raid turns out. Think of it as your personal savings account.
The robotic enemies in Arc Raiders are a constant threat. They guard the best loot and their gunshots will attract other players.
When you’re new, avoid fighting large groups of them. Many robots have glowing weak spots, usually on their head or back. Aiming for these will take them down much faster and save you precious ammo. After a fight, quickly grab any loot and move to a new position, because someone likely heard the battle.
The Workshop is your home base between raids. Here, you can store your gear, accept quests from vendors, and craft new items.
Crafting is a huge part of the game. You’ll find materials like scrap metal and electronics during raids. You can use these at your workbench in The Workshop to build weapons, ammo, and healing supplies. Always check what materials you need before heading into a raid so you know what to look for. For more detailed instructions, you might want to look up a guide on how to use The Workshop effectively.
Arc Raiders has amazing sound design, and you need to use it to your advantage. Sprinting makes a lot of noise, letting everyone nearby know where you are. Walking and crouching are much quieter.
Actionable Tip: Every few minutes, find a safe spot and stand completely still for 10 seconds. Just listen. You will hear distant gunfights, the clanking of a nearby robot, or the footsteps of another player trying to sneak up on you. This is one of the most important Arc Raiders beginner tips for survival.
As a new player, your gear probably isn’t the best. This means taking on a fully-equipped veteran in a player vs player fight is a bad idea. If you hear another player or get shot at from a distance, your first instinct should be to run.
Use hills, buildings, and forests to break their line of sight and escape. There is no shame in running away. A successful raid is one where you extract, even if you only have a backpack full of basic materials. A failed raid is one where you die trying to be a hero.
Knowing the tips is one thing, but putting them into practice is another. Here is a simple step-by-step approach for your first few games, which will show you how to survive in Arc Raiders.
Yes, Arc Raiders can be challenging for beginners, just like any extraction shooter. There is a lot to learn about maps, enemies, and items. However, the game gives you tools like the Free Loadout to make learning less punishing. By following the tips in this guide, you can make the learning curve much smoother.
You can definitely play Arc Raiders solo, but it is more difficult. When you’re alone, you have to watch every angle by yourself. Playing with a friend or two is highly recommended for new players, as you can cover each other and share loot. If you are learning solo, focus on being as stealthy as possible.
The most common mistake is being too greedy. New players often stay in a raid too long, trying to fill their entire backpack. This increases the chances of running into a dangerous robot or a well-equipped player. Learning when to stop looting and head for an exit is a key skill.
As a brand-new player, you should use the Free Loadout for your first 5-10 raids. This helps you learn without any risk. Once you have a small collection of weapons and gear in your stash from successful extractions, you can start bringing your own equipment to enable your Safe Box.
A good rule of thumb is to extract when you find something you are not willing to lose. Did you find a rare weapon attachment or a keycard? It’s probably time to go. Another good time is after you’ve completed a quest objective. Don’t push your luck; consistent small wins are better than one big loss.
Arc Raiders is an incredibly rewarding game once you get past the initial learning phase. By using these Arc Raiders beginner tips, you’re already ahead of most new players.
Remember the basics: use the free gear to learn, stick to safe zones, protect your valuables in the Safe Box, and always, always listen. Your goal is survival. Now that you have a plan, it’s time to drop into your next raid with confidence. Good luck out there, Raider.
