Arc Raiders splits its extraction runs across distinct maps with different layouts, timers, and loot profiles. Progression unlocks tougher arenas as you complete rounds, and the best loot clusters are also the most contested. Use this breakdown to decide where to drop, what to prioritize, and when to extract.

Map unlocks and run timers

Map How to unlock Run timer (max) Notes
Dam Battlegrounds Available from the start 30 minutes Low difficulty; compact routes and clear POIs make it ideal for learning the flow and extracting quickly.
Practice Range Complete 4 rounds 2 hours Sandbox training space to test weapons and movement; no loot cycle or extraction.
Buried City Complete 6 rounds 30 minutes Medium difficulty; narrow streets funnel fights around high‑value urban POIs.
Spaceport Complete 12 rounds 40 minutes Medium‑to‑high difficulty; multiple vertical structures with dense high‑tier loot and heavier ARC presence.
The Blue Gate Complete 18 rounds 30 minutes High difficulty; open terrain mixed with tunnels and compounds, strong loot with elevated risk.
Stella Montis Coming soon — Access via trapped tubes has been teased; details on layout and timer are not yet available.

Access to later maps opens as you finish rounds, ensuring you see tougher locations once you’re comfortable with extraction pacing and threat escalation.

Best loot locations by map

High‑rarity points of interest (POIs) concentrate the rarest items and parts, and they naturally draw the most Raiders. If you head for these, bring a plan for third‑party pressure and a fast route to a hatch.

Dam Battlegrounds

POI Loot rarity Loot types
Hydroponic Dome Complex High Nature, Industrial, Security
Control Tower High Technological, Security
Research & Administration High Commercial, Technological
Generator Hall Medium General
Power Generation Complex Medium Electrical, Industrial
Water Treatment Control Medium Industrial, Mechanical
Testing Annex Medium Medical, Commercial

Hotspots on this map center on the Control Tower and Research & Administration in the middle, and the Hydroponic Dome Complex toward the northwest. Expect frequent contests on upper floors and choke points.

Buried City

POI Loot rarity Loot types
Hospital High Medical
Space Travel High Commercial, Technological
Town Hall High Old World
Library Medium Commercial, Old World
Research Medium Medical, Technological
Grandioso Apartments Medium Residential
Plaza Rosa Medium Medical, Commercial

The Hospital, Space Travel hub, and Town Hall form the primary triangle for high‑value loot. The city layout creates natural flanks along alleyways; keep audio on for stairwells and rooftops.

Spaceport

POI Loot rarity Loot types
Arrival Building High Commercial, Technological
Launch Towers High Technological, Security
Departure Building High Commercial, Technological
Control Tower High Technological, Commercial
Container Storage High Industrial, Mechanical
Rocket Assembly Medium Security, Industrial
Vehicle Maintenance Medium Mechanical, Industrial

High‑tier concentrations at the Departure/Arrival buildings and Launch Towers are magnets for squads. The Control Tower (often referenced as A6) and the Container Storage yard are similarly lucrative and heavily patrolled.

The Blue Gate

POI Loot rarity Loot types
Pilgrim’s Peak High Technological, Electrical
Checkpoint High Mechanical
Village Medium Commercial, Residential
Raider’s Refuge Medium Residential
Warehouse Complex Medium Industrial
Ancient Fort Medium Old World, Technological

Pilgrim’s Peak and the central Checkpoint anchor the best drops here. The map’s mix of open slopes and confined tunnels makes sightlines volatile; plan hard cover between POIs.

Dam Battlegrounds weapon crate spawns (reliable picks)

  • Control Tower top floors — frequent weapon crate spawns, but expect constant pressure.
  • Hydroponic Dome Complex buildings — another popular cluster with multiple crate possibilities.
  • South Swamp Outpost (southwest corner) — off‑route option with potential crate spawns.
  • Small Creek near the Control Tower — quick pickups while others contest the tower interior.
  • Floodgates and “The Breach” between Power Generation and the Primary Facility — several spawns along a busy corridor.

These crates trade safety for speed; rotate in from angles that give you an exit to nearby extraction paths.

Events and special conditions that change a run

  • Prospecting Probes — guarded ARC probes land in greater numbers, adding patrols and timed engagements.
  • Harvester — a large harvesting machine appears with a Queen guarding it; risky but lucrative target.
  • Hidden Caches — storms expose old caches that explode if left exposed; grab and go.
  • Husk Graveyard — downed ARC units are scattered across the map, making parts easier to collect.
  • Launch Tower Loot — a tower has been locked down with loot stashed at the top; expect reinforced ARC defenses.
  • Lush Blooms — favorable weather boosts plant and fruit yields for food gathering.
  • Hidden Bunker — the Outskirts Bunker can be opened by finding four buttons; first in gets the stash.
  • Snow Variant — a weather variant that changes visibility and feel; details vary.
  • Electromagnetic Storm — lightning disrupts electronics, ARC behavior, and can shock players.
  • Night Raid — darkness increases ARC activity but raises the ceiling on loot quality.

When these conditions are active, reroute toward time‑limited rewards or avoid hot zones if you’re carrying rare gear.

Risk and reward: how to pick your fights

  • High‑rarity POIs draw the most teams. If you’re under‑geared, hit medium‑tier locations that flank the main hubs and extract early.
  • Open areas in The Blue Gate make crossfire more likely. Move between cover and avoid silhouetting on ridgelines.
  • Spaceport’s vertical POIs reward patient stairwell and rooftop control; listen for metal footsteps and drone alerts.

Think of each map as a loop: spawn, hit one to two primary POIs, pivot to a secondary for safe pickups, then extract before timers and third parties compound the risk.

What’s next

Stella Montis is on the horizon, teased as a hazardous access route with unknown rewards beyond. Until it arrives, mastering the existing four maps — and their event variants — is the best way to bank rare loot consistently.