How to Progress Through the Early Game in Arc Raiders
What should I focus on in my first few hours?
Your first goal is not fighting other players or hunting big ARC machines. It is learning how to leave the map alive with loot.
Early progression in Arc Raiders is driven by three things:
- Extracting consistently
- Unlocking crafting options
- Upgrading your shelter access and loadout flexibility
New players often overstay runs because they want to “just check one more area.” Most early losses come from this habit. If your bag has useful materials and your health is low, leaving is usually the correct decision.
How risky should my early loadouts be?
Go cheap, every time.
In practice, most experienced players run minimal kits early on:
- A basic weapon with common ammo
- Light armor or none at all
- Only the tools needed for the objective
If you die, you lose what you brought. Early progress comes from survival, not kill count. Expensive weapons do not make you safer if you do not understand positioning, sound, and enemy patterns yet.
A good rule: if losing your gear would slow your progression or frustrate you, it is probably too expensive for your current stage.
Should I fight enemies or avoid them?
Avoid first, fight second.
ARC machines are designed to punish careless movement. Early players who treat the game like a shooter instead of a survival game tend to burn through healing and ammo quickly.
In practice:
- Crouch and move slowly near machines
- Let enemies pass instead of forcing fights
- Use terrain and line of sight to disengage
You should only fight when:
- You need parts from a specific enemy
- You are blocked from an objective
- You are confident you can end the fight fast
Running away is not a failure. It is how most successful early runs end.
How important are contracts and missions early on?
Very important, but only if you complete them safely.
Contracts give structure to early runs. They guide you toward materials and locations you will need anyway. The mistake many players make is stacking too many objectives in one run.
A better approach:
- Pick one main contract
- Add one secondary objective only if it overlaps
- Extract once the main goal is done
Progression is steady when you finish contracts consistently, not when you attempt ambitious multi-objective runs and lose everything.
What materials should I prioritize looting?
Early crafting bottlenecks usually come from common materials, not rare ones.
Most players struggle because they skip “boring” loot early on. In practice, you should prioritize:
- Basic mechanical parts
- Crafting components used across multiple recipes
- Items tied directly to shelter upgrades
If you do not know what a material is for yet, keep at least a small stack. Many early upgrades unlock suddenly and require items you may have ignored before.
When should I start crafting new gear?
Crafting should support survival, not replace it.
Early crafting is best used for:
- Reliable weapons you can afford to lose
- Utility items that improve escape options
- Incremental upgrades rather than full kit replacements
Some players rush crafting trees and end up broke after a few deaths. Others delay crafting too long and rely on scavenged gear. The balanced approach is to craft items you can remake easily.
You may see players discussing ways to buy arc raiders blueprints online, but for early progression, understanding how to unlock and use blueprints through normal play is more important than owning everything at once.
How do I deal with other players in the early game?
Assume other players are dangerous and unpredictable.
Most early PvP encounters are accidental. Gunshots attract attention, and chasing kills often leads to third-party deaths.
In practice:
- Avoid sprinting in open areas
- Stop and listen often
- Disengage unless you have a clear advantage
If you spot another player first, the safest option is usually to let them pass. Winning a fight is meaningless if it leaves you exposed or out of resources.
What causes most early-game deaths?
Patterns repeat for almost everyone:
- Greed after a successful loot run
- Fighting enemies you could avoid
- Ignoring sound cues
- Carrying too much gear
Once you recognize these patterns, you can actively correct them. Most improvement comes from reducing bad decisions, not improving aim.
How do I know when I am ready to move beyond early game?
You are leaving the early game when:
- You extract more often than you die
- You can replace lost gear without stalling progress
- You understand enemy behaviors and map flow
At that point, you can take more risks and experiment with stronger builds. Until then, playing cautiously is not slow progress—it is the fastest way forward.
Arc Raiders rewards patience and restraint in the early game. Players who progress smoothly are not usually the most aggressive or skilled shooters. They are the ones who know when to leave, what to ignore, and how to treat survival as the main objective.
