The game is set on a ruined Earth in the distant future. A catastrophic ecological collapse has wiped out most of humanity and rendered much of the planet uninhabitable. As survivors retreat underground, an alien robotic force known as the Arc arrives to ARC Raiders Coins harvest Earth's remaining resources and eliminate what's left of human civilisation.

Beneath the surface, humanity clings to survival in Toledo, a vast underground city. Above ground, the planet is patrolled by deadly autonomous machines – drones, walkers, and towering mechanical monsters that now dominate the landscape.

What do you actually do?

You play as a raider, venturing from Toledo to the surface on dangerous scavenging runs. Each raid is a risk-reward gamble: the longer you stay out, the more valuable loot you might find, but the higher the chance of dying before extraction.

As you complete raids, you earn experience points that feed into a skill tree focused on survival, movement, and combat effectiveness. You'll also discover blueprints that unlock new craftable gear and weapons. Traders in Toledo offer missions that reward useful equipment and currency, and they'll sell you items you can't yet craft yourself.

Over time, you'll build a self-sufficient raider with upgraded gear, expanded storage, and a wider crafting arsenal.

Why has it become so popular?

The extraction shooter space is already crowded, with games like Escape from Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown offering brutal, high-stakes experiences. What sets Arc Raiders apart is its distinctive retro-futuristic aesthetic and its cinematic sense of scale.

The game's environments are visually striking, the sound design is exceptional, and the music adds real tension to every encounter. Combat against Arc machines feels dynamic and unpredictable, thanks to advanced AI behaviour. Some enemies are truly enormous – including the spider-like Matriarch – and fighting them often turns into spontaneous, multiplayer set-piece battles involving multiple squads.

How should beginners start playing?

The simplest advice is: jump in. Arc Raiders is available on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 5. A headset is highly recommended, both for communication and for audio awareness – sound cues are crucial for detecting enemies and other players.

After creating your character, you'll begin on the Dam Battlegrounds map. While additional locations like Buried City and Stella Montis unlock later, it's best to spend your early hours learning the Dam. The enemy density is lower, and player encounters are generally less aggressive.

During your first few raids, focus on exploration. Learn enemy behaviours, search buildings thoroughly, and practice extracting safely. Loot everything you find at the start. Common materials like wires and springs are essential for crafting, while rare junk items can be sold or recycled for scrap.

Progression and survival tips

Upgrading your workstations should be a priority, as crafting allows you to become less dependent on traders. Whenever you find a blueprint, place it in your safe pocket so you keep it even if you die. High-value areas marked in red on the map, as well as special events like night raids or electromagnetic storms, offer better loot but come with higher risk.

The skill tree is divided into Conditioning, Mobility, and Survival. You won't be able to unlock everything, so early choices matter. New players should prioritise Mobility skills, especially stamina upgrades – running away is often the smartest move. From there, focus on Conditioning if you plan to fight other players, or Survival if you prefer stealth and looting.

Always carry healing ARCR Items, shield rechargers, and adrenaline shots. Smoke grenades are invaluable for escaping both robots and hostile players, while seeker grenades are cheap and highly effective against flying enemies like Wasps and Hornets.

Expand your stash size as soon as possible and keep upgrading it until you reach the maximum of 280 slots – you'll need the space. If you're short on money, the Pale Apartments, Ruby Residence, and Pattern House in the Dam are packed with valuable trinkets and relatively safe to loot.

Finally, take advantage of the free load-out option offered before raids. It's perfect for learning new maps or rebuilding after a death. If you survive, you can even upgrade your basic augment for free at Lance.

One last thing: the game tracks player aggression. Shoot less, cooperate more, and you're more likely to be matched with like-minded raiders. Be friendly, help others, and you may find Arc Raiders is just as much about cooperation as it is about firepower.

Celeste is back with another critical task for you in ARC Raiders, and this one puts you right in the middle of the city's fragile infrastructure. The Speranza leader brings troubling news: one of the electrical substations above ground has suddenly gone offline, cutting power to key systems underground. Worse still, the engineer sent to ARC Raiders Coins for sale investigate the issue hasn't reported back and is presumed missing.