ARC Raiders is a PvPvE extraction shooter from Embark Studios: you drop Topside solo or in a squad of up to three, loot while fighting ARC machines and other players, and only keep what you extract. If you die you lose what you carried, except the item in your safe pocket, so your first goal is surviving, not fighting.
Updated November 7, 2026.
ARC Raiders launched on October 30, 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and it is now a year into live updates, with the large Frozen Trail update arriving on October 8, 2026. This guide uses Embark's own Frozen Trail 2.0 patch notes and ARC Raiders news to explain how the game works today. For every ARC Raiders guide, see the RankSurge ARC Raiders hub.
How does a raid work in ARC Raiders?
You start in Speranza, the underground settlement where raiders live, choose a map and a loadout, and travel to the surface, called Topside. A raid lasts up to 30 minutes, and some map conditions stretch that to 40. While Topside you search containers, complete quest objectives, avoid or fight ARC robots and decide whether to fight or avoid other raiders. To keep your loot you have to reach an extraction point before time runs out.
- Extraction elevators and metro stations are the standard ways out.
- Air shafts are another exit on some maps.
- Raider hatches need a key, but can be a quieter route home.
What do you lose when you die?
If you go down and do not get revived or extract, you lose the gear and loot you carried into and found during that raid. The exception is your safe pocket, which protects its contents. Use it for your most valuable find of the raid, such as a rare blueprint or crafting part.
What do the key ARC Raiders terms mean?
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Topside | The surface, where raids take place. |
| Speranza | Your underground home base: trade, craft, upgrade and take quests. |
| Safe pocket | A protected slot whose contents survive if you die. |
| ARC | The hostile machines, from small drones to huge walkers. |
| Map condition | A rotating modifier on a map, such as Night Raid or Uncovered Caches. |
| Reward Pass | Progression track filled with Reward Points from Feats. |
| Trials | Weekly score challenges with a seasonal rank ladder, unlocked at level 15. |
| Expedition | The optional prestige reset, paused until early 2027. |
What should you do in Speranza between raids?
Speranza is where your progress lives. Between raids you sell loot, buy supplies, craft and upgrade gear at your workbenches, and pick up quests from the traders. Quests are worth doing early: since Frozen Trail, quests and their objectives also grant XP. Your stash can now be expanded to a maximum of 328 slots, so sell or recycle junk instead of hoarding everything. A new trader unlocks at level 25 and takes high-value items in exchange for weekly rotating rewards.
How does the skill tree work after Frozen Trail?
Frozen Trail revamped the skill tree. Mid-branch nodes are now a choice between two skills, and end-of-branch nodes let you pick up to two of three skills once you have spent enough points. You can change your choices by resetting the tree. As a beginner, favour skills that help you survive and carry loot home, and adjust once you know how you like to play.
How do Feats, the Reward Pass and Trials work?
- Feats are challenges worth Easy 15, Medium 25 or Hard 50 Reward Points.
- Weekly milestones give 250 Reward Points each, with three available per week.
- The Frozen Trail Reward Pass has 60 levels on Free and Premium tracks. Only one pass, Frozen Trail or Legacy, can be active at a time.
- Trials unlock at level 15. Each week brings five scored challenges, and your best extracted score counts. Your combined scores place you on a seasonal ladder from Rookie to Cantina Legend.
ARC Raiders does not have a PvP ranked mode. Trials ranks are the closest thing to a competitive ladder, and they are based on PvE challenge scores.
Which beginner tips save the most raids?
- Start with cheap or crafted gear so a loss does not hurt.
- Listen before you move. ARC and raiders are often heard before they are seen.
- Do not fight every ARC. Many are better avoided until you have the right weapon.
- Know at least two exits before you start looting.
- Put your best find in the safe pocket straight away.
- Extract early on your first raids to learn the map and bank progress.
What is changing for new players right now?
Embark tested a PvE matchmaking toggle from October 13 to 20, 2026 and has not yet decided whether it will stay; it said it expected to share more in November. Expeditions are paused until early 2027 while Embark reworks them. For the latest changes, read our ARC Raiders patch notes and roadmap, and to learn where to go, see the ARC Raiders maps guide.
Built from official notes. Mechanics and numbers come from Embark Studios' patch notes and news posts. RankSurge is independent and is not affiliated with Embark Studios or Nexon.
Frequently asked questions
Is ARC Raiders free to play?
No. ARC Raiders was first announced as free to play, but Embark Studios changed that before launch and sold it as a paid game at 40 US dollars when it released on October 30, 2025. It also runs occasional free weekends, such as the October 8 to 12, 2026 free period for the Frozen Trail update. Cosmetics and a Premium Reward Pass are sold separately with Raider Tokens.
Can you play ARC Raiders solo?
Yes. You can play solo or in squads of two or three. Embark's matchmaking generally pairs solo players with other solo players, although in January 2026 it added an option for solos to queue into trios in exchange for higher rewards. With Frozen Trail, the Solo vs. Squads setting was removed while the team reevaluates it. Solo play suits careful, stealthy players who extract early.
What happens to your loot when you die in ARC Raiders?
When you die and are not revived, you lose the gear and loot you were carrying in that raid. The safe pocket is the exception, because its contents are protected. That is why experienced players move their most valuable find into the safe pocket as soon as they pick it up, and why many beginners bring cheaper or crafted gear until they know the maps well.
Does ARC Raiders have a ranked mode?
ARC Raiders has no PvP ranked mode or public match leaderboard. The closest system is Trials, which unlock at level 15. Each week offers scored challenges, your best extracted score counts, and your combined scores place you in a group of other players. At the end of each week you can be promoted or demoted on a seasonal ladder that runs from Rookie up to Cantina Legend.
What should beginners do first in ARC Raiders?
Start with cheap or crafted gear, learn one map and its exits, and extract early on your first raids to bank progress. Pick up quests from the traders in Speranza, because quests and their objectives now give XP. Use the safe pocket for your best item, avoid fights with ARC you are not equipped for, and spend early skill points on surviving and carrying loot home.