Embark Studios’ ARC Raiders released on October 30, 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, and the early run is equal parts brutal and beautiful. If this is your first trip onto the surface of post-collapse Earth, these five hands-on tips will help stop the frequent deaths, questionable looting choices, and that one time a swarm of drones decided to ruin your day.
5 – Use free loadouts whenever possible
When you’re still learning movement and gunplay, dying a few times is inevitable. Bring the free loadout for your early runs. It looks empty in the lobby, but once the match starts the game hands you a random, free kit that saves your own resources while you learn the ropes. Think of it as training wheels that don’t cost you a fortune. Remember TARKOV’s Scav Run?
4 – Don’t forget Scrappy
Scrappy, your resource-gathering rooster, brings back items after excursions. Talk to Scrappy every time you return and invest in its upgrades. The more you level Scrappy, the better the haul, and that early boost compounds quickly.
3 – Boost your stamina
Spend early skill points in the mobility branch, especially perks that increase max stamina and reduce consumption. More stamina means better sliding, vaulting, and escaping fights when things go wrong. Mobility perks also lower fall damage, which matters when traversing broken cityscapes.
2 – Recycle
Right-click items in your inventory to access the recycle option. Metal parts can be reclaimed and turned into ammo or components you’ll actually use. Recycle often to free stash space and build a reserve of key crafting materials.
1 – Install the gunsmith early
Unlock the gunsmith bench at your workbench as soon as possible. Upgrading a gun from level one to level two is a dramatic jump in effectiveness. If you want to survive tougher ARCs and PvP encounters, weapon upgrades are high-value targets. For extraction mechanics and keys, consult the dedicated extraction guide linked below for more on successfully getting out alive.
If you want a sense of how the game is being supported post-launch, check our earlier coverage about the planned flexible monthly updates, the incoming Blue Gate map and anti-ARC tools, and the server slam numbers that tracked early player counts. Planned monthly updates, the Blue Gate map and anti-ARC tools, and server-slam concurrent player figures provide context for how the game might evolve.
Questions, tips, or the war stories of your worst drone encounters are welcome in the comments. Follow CPG on X, Bluesky, and YouTube.
