ARC Raiders Maps Guide: All 6 Zones and Extracti…

Q: How many maps are in ARC Raiders?

ARC Raiders has 6 playable zones: Dam, Blue Gate, Spaceport, Buried City, Stella Montis, and Riven Tides. Each zone has distinct terrain, loot density, and difficulty scaling — Stella Montis is designed for Level 25+ players and has the smallest map footprint but the highest loot value per location.

Q: What is the hardest map in ARC Raiders?

Stella Montis is the hardest zone and intended as the endgame destination. It's a snowy mountain environment with only 692 discoverable markers, which makes it the smallest zone by landmass but concentrates the highest-value loot and the most dangerous ARC units into a compact area. It's designed for Level 25+ Raiders.

Q: What are all the extraction point types in ARC Raiders?

There are 4 extraction types: cargo elevators (loudest, ~90 second timer), metro stations (Buried City variant, similar to cargo elevator), airshafts (~60–70 seconds, less broadcast), and Raider Hatches (silent, 15-second window, requires a single-use Raider Hatch Key). Each type has different noise profiles and risk levels.

Q: Which ARC Raiders map is best for beginners?

Blue Gate is the entry-point zone by design — a mountain pass that funnels new players into the game's core systems before the terrain complexity and loot competition of mid-tier zones like Spaceport or Buried City. Pair it with the ARC Raiders beginner guide for the first few runs.

Q: Does each map have multiple extraction points?

Yes. Every zone has multiple extraction points spread across the map. Not all types are available on every map — Raider Hatches can be disabled during storm conditions, and metro stations appear specifically on Buried City. During an Electromagnetic Storm modifier, fewer extraction points are active than normal.

Q: What is Riven Tides in ARC Raiders?

Riven Tides is a coastal zone with beaches, cliffs, and flooded industrial areas. Verticality is a significant gameplay factor — the zone rewards Raiders who use elevation to control sightlines rather than fighting across open flat terrain. It's a mid-to-late zone with a distinct aesthetic compared to the inland industrial maps.

This ARC Raiders maps guide covers all six zones, what the terrain asks of you, where extractions cluster, and how to sequence your map progression.

Six zones. One underground base. Every run you pick a zone, drop in, and try to get back to Speranza with something worth keeping. The maps are not interchangeable — each one has different terrain logic, loot distribution, extraction point availability, and recommended entry level. Running Stella Montis at level 10 because it sounds interesting is a fast way to lose a full kit.

Key Takeaways

6 zones total: Dam, Blue Gate, Spaceport, Buried City, Stella Montis, Riven Tides
Stella Montis is endgame — Level 25+, smallest zone, highest loot value, hardest ARC units
4 extraction types: cargo elevators (~90s), metro stations, airshafts (~60–70s), Raider Hatches (15s, key required, silent)
Raider Hatches are disabled during Electromagnetic Storm conditions
Riven Tides rewards verticality play — elevation control matters more here than in flatter zones

How Zones Work in ARC Raiders

Before the zone breakdown: every map runs on the same core structure. You insert from Speranza, move through ARC-controlled terrain, collect loot, and find an extraction point to call your ride out. The extraction call is loud — a cargo elevator siren broadcasts across the zone. Everyone knows where you are the moment you activate it.

The zones differ in how much cover exists between you and the extraction point, how far loot concentrates into discrete areas versus spreading across open terrain, and how dense the ARC patrol routes are. Difficulty scales with zone level, but zone level is a guideline, not a lock.

For extraction mechanics specifically — how to actually use each type, what happens if you miss a Raider Hatch window, and how the alarm radius works — the ARC Raiders extraction guide covers the full breakdown.

All 6 Zones

Dam (Alcantara Power Plant)

Difficulty: Entry to mid
Terrain: Waterlogged industrial, toxic zones, narrow corridor interiors

The Dam is a former Raider stronghold — the ARC machines took it, and the environment still shows signs of the prior occupation. Toxic waterlogged sections restrict movement paths in certain areas, pushing Raiders into predictable choke points. The interior corridors of the power plant itself are close-quarters, which makes shotguns and SMGs more relevant here than on open-terrain maps.

Loot concentrates in the plant's interior zones and along the upper catwalks. The terrain rewards methodical clearance over fast movement — players who rush through the corridors without checking elevation angles tend to take damage from ARC units positioned above them.

Multiple cargo elevator extraction points are distributed across the zone. The interior extraction points are typically more defensible on approach but harder to reach from certain loot-dense areas.

Blue Gate

Difficulty: Entry
Terrain: Mountain pass, elevated terrain, natural chokepoints

Blue Gate is functionally the new player zone. A mountain pass with perilous mountain ranges as the primary terrain feature — the environment channels players through defined routes rather than offering full open-terrain navigation. The zone teaches extraction timing and patrol avoidance without overwhelming a player who's still learning the insertion and extraction flow.

New Raiders should spend a few sessions here before moving to Spaceport or Buried City. The ARC Raiders beginner guide covers the full early progression sequence including when to push into harder zones.

Spaceport (Acerra Spaceport)

Difficulty: Mid
Terrain: Industrial, large open areas, launch infrastructure

The Spaceport is the first zone that punishes players who played Blue Gate as a pure corridor shooter. Acerra Spaceport has Exodus shuttle infrastructure — large open areas between structures, launch pads, and clearings between hangar buildings that create long sightlines. Players used to the close-range angles of the Dam or the narrow passes of Blue Gate will get picked off crossing open ground.

Loot quality steps up here. The hangar interiors and shuttle staging areas have higher-value items than any entry-level zone. ARC units are more aggressive, and the open terrain means audio discipline matters more — movement noise carries differently across the launch pads than through interior corridors.

This is where loadout choices start mattering in a measurable way. The ARC Raiders skill tree guide covers which upgrades pay off most for the mid-tier zone difficulty.

ARC Raiders raider in orange suit firing at an ARC combat tank in a sun-bleached desert landscape near spaceport launch infrastructure Open terrain at Acerra Spaceport — the first zone where crossing a clearing without a plan means eating damage from ARC units positioned at distance.

Buried City

Difficulty: Mid
Terrain: Arid wasteland, sand dunes, narrow streets, old-world architecture

The Buried City is the most distinct visual zone in the game — arid wasteland with exposed sand dunes, narrow winding streets, and old-world architecture that creates a maze-like layout in certain district areas. It's the only zone with metro station extraction points, which function similarly to cargo elevators in mechanics but have different placement logic across the map.

The narrow streets work in the player's favor when retreating and against them when trying to push through. ARC units that set up in multi-story ruins gain height advantage that's hard to counter at ground level. Movement through the street network requires knowing which routes open up and which dead-end, making map knowledge more valuable here than in the more straightforward layouts of Blue Gate or Spaceport.

Stella Montis

Difficulty: Endgame (Level 25+ recommended)
Terrain: Snow-covered mountain, compressed map footprint, high-value loot

Stella Montis is where the zone design flips the formula. It's the smallest zone by map footprint — only 692 discoverable markers compared to the broader marker counts of mid-tier zones — but it concentrates the highest-value loot and the most dangerous ARC units into that smaller area. Every encounter matters more because the zone doesn't give you the space to disengage and reset.

The compressed footprint means every encounter matters more — you can't disengage and reset the way you can in larger zones. Slower, more deliberate movement pays off here more than aggressive pushes that work in Spaceport.

Running Stella Montis below the recommended level is technically possible but expensive in kit terms. The loot quality offsets the risk at appropriate levels — below that, you'll spend more on loadout replacement than you extract in value.

GODEEPER: Getting to Level 25+ for Stella Montis is faster with the right skill tree investment — Detection Radius Reduction first, Safe Pocket Capacity second. ARC Raiders skill tree tier list →

Riven Tides

Difficulty: Mid to late
Terrain: Coastal, beaches, cliffs, flooded industrial zones

Riven Tides is the map that most rewards vertical play. Beaches, cliffs, and flooded industrial facilities create a zone where elevation is a strategic resource, not just an aesthetic choice. Players who use high ground to control sightlines across the coastal flats or the flooded sections fight a different game than players who stay at sea level.

The flooded areas introduce movement restrictions similar to the Dam's toxic zones — certain paths are cut off or slowed, which concentrates Raiders and ARC units through predictable corridors. The cliff sections offer the best sightlines in the game for mid-range engagements, but reaching them takes time that leaves you exposed during the approach.

Extraction points are distributed across beach access points and elevated industrial platforms. The elevated extraction points are harder to reach but less predictable for ambushes; beach extractions are faster to reach but more exposed.

Official ARC Raiders scout report polaroids showing Riven Tides zone landmarks — Exodus Hotel exterior facade and flooded interior wreckage Official Embark Studios scout report cards for Riven Tides — the Exodus Hotel structure and its flooded interior are two of the zone's key loot cluster areas.

Step-by-Step: Running a New Zone for the First Time

Using this ARC Raiders maps guide, here is how to approach a zone you haven't run before without losing your kit to avoidable mistakes.

1. Check map modifiers before inserting. Electromagnetic Storm conditions change what extractions are available — Raider Hatches are disabled and fewer extraction points are active. Don't plan a Hatch exit if the storm is running.

2. Run your first session without a loot objective. Identify the patrol routes and all extraction point locations. A dead run that teaches you where three cargo elevators are is worth more than a lucky loot extraction you can't replicate.

3. Note the terrain layer that applies to this zone. Interior corridors (Dam), open sightlines (Spaceport), street networks (Buried City), coastal cliffs (Riven Tides). Each layer changes which weapons are relevant and how patrols move.

4. Find two extraction fallbacks before you start looting. Know your primary and secondary exit before your inventory is full. Stella Montis and Riven Tides have fewer total extraction points — fallbacks matter more there than in larger zones.

5. Move at the zone's pace, not your preferred pace. Spaceport punishes rushing open ground. Dam rewards slow methodical clearance. Buried City rewards knowing which dead-end streets to avoid. Let the terrain set the tempo.

6. On second and third runs, add one loot route per session. Build map knowledge incrementally. Players who try to learn the full zone on run one and loot aggressively usually just learn where they died, not how to avoid it.

Zone Progression Recommendation

Running all six zones in difficulty order is the cleanest progression path:

Blue Gate — Learn extraction, patrol timing, basic ARC behavior
Dam — Apply interior tactics, manage terrain hazards
Spaceport — Adapt to open terrain, extend effective engagement range
Buried City — Navigate street logic, use metro extractions
Riven Tides — Develop vertical play, coastal terrain management
Stella Montis — Endgame extraction for high-value runs (Level 25+ recommended)

Stella Montis is the only zone with a publicly stated level recommendation. The others scale broadly with progression — player skill and map knowledge matter as much as character level across the first five zones.

Extraction Points per Zone

All zones have multiple extraction point locations. The specific count and type distribution varies:

Cargo elevators — available on all zones, loudest alarm, ~90 second extraction timer
Metro stations — Buried City only, mechanics similar to cargo elevator
Airshafts — available on most zones, ~60–70 seconds, engine noise less broadcast than elevator siren
Raider Hatches — available on most zones (not during storm conditions), 15-second window, silent, requires a single-use Raider Hatch Key

The silent extraction from a Raider Hatch is the strongest move when it works. The 15-second window is unforgiving — if you have the key and miss the window, the key is consumed without extraction. Practice the activation timing before you spend a good key on a high-value run.

GODEEPER: Every extraction type in detail — timers, alarm radii, the activation sequence, and how to hold position during the countdown. ARC Raiders extraction guide →

Tips for Learning New Zones

First run on any zone: don't fight. Learn the patrol routes and extraction point locations before committing to loot routes. A dead run that teaches you where three cargo elevators are is worth more than a lucky extraction that you can't replicate.

Check extraction point density before loading. Maps with more extraction points give more exit options if your primary gets ambushed during activation. Stella Montis's compressed footprint means fewer total extraction points — know your fallback before you need it.

Audio discipline matters more in open zones. Movement noise carries differently across Spaceport's launch pads than through Dam's interior corridors. In tighter zones like Buried City, the street network provides cover that open-terrain maps don't — adjust movement speed accordingly.

Storm conditions affect every zone. When an Electromagnetic Storm modifier is active, Raider Hatches are disabled and fewer extraction points are available than normal. If you're planning a Raider Hatch extraction, check the map modifier before inserting.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many maps are in ARC Raiders? Six zones: Dam, Blue Gate, Spaceport, Buried City, Stella Montis, and Riven Tides. Each has distinct terrain, patrol density, loot distribution, and extraction point types.

What is the hardest map in ARC Raiders? Stella Montis — designed for Level 25+ players. It's the smallest zone by landmass with 692 discoverable markers but concentrates the highest-value loot and most dangerous ARC units into that compressed area.

What are all the extraction point types in ARC Raiders? Four types: cargo elevators (~90s, loud siren), metro stations (Buried City only, ~90s), airshafts (~60–70s, less broadcast), and Raider Hatches (15-second window, silent, requires a single-use key). Full breakdown in the ARC Raiders extraction guide.

Which ARC Raiders map is best for beginners? Blue Gate — a mountain pass that funnels players through the core systems before the terrain complexity of mid-tier zones. Follow it with the ARC Raiders beginner guide for the first few runs.

Does each map have multiple extraction points? Yes. Every zone has multiple extraction point locations across different types. Raider Hatches are disabled during Electromagnetic Storm conditions, and storms also reduce the total active count compared to normal.

What is Riven Tides in ARC Raiders? A coastal zone with beaches, cliffs, and flooded industrial areas. It rewards vertical play — elevation control matters more here than in flatter zones. Mid-to-late difficulty, distinct from the inland industrial maps.