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ARC Raiders Update: New Enemies, Beard Customization, and Blueprint Controversy ARC Raiders Update: New Enemies, Beard Customization, and Blueprint Controversy
Other Games Mar 17, 2026

ARC Raiders Update: New Enemies, Beard Customization, and Blueprint Controversy

GameMS - Style vs Substance: The Brutal Reality of Marathon and ARC Raiders GameMS - Style vs Substance: The Brutal Reality of Marathon and ARC Raiders
Other Games Mar 16, 2026

Style vs Substance: The Brutal Reality of Marathon and ARC Raiders

Bungie's Marathon officially launched on March 5, 2026, and its striking similarity to Embark's ARC Raiders, released on October 30, 2025, has sparked considerable discussion among players. Can Marathon steal more players from ARC Raiders?

Initial data shows that Marathon's peak concurrent player count on Steam was slightly over 86,000. This is far less than its competitor, ARC Raiders, which boasted a remarkable 264,000 concurrent players on Steam upon its launch last October.

Both are PvPvE resource-grabbing games, inherently sharing many similarities. Both possess similar mechanics, such as shields, bandages, weapon attachments, traders, quests, stamina, and unique PvE enemies. Even both games feature energy guns.

So, given their high degree of similarity, what are the differences between these two games?

Game Perspective

The first and most obvious difference is the game's perspective. ARC Raiders offers a more forgiving third-person perspective, initially focused on PvE gameplay and still retaining strong PvE elements. Marathon, on the other hand, breaks the genre's boundaries, adopting a high-risk, high-reward first-person perspective, emphasizing player-versus-player combat. Marathon is known for its hardcore, PvP-centric gameplay.

Therefore, ARC Raiders allows you to experience pure PvE fun or fully enjoy the thrill of PvP. Marathon focuses more on PvP. These two games offer two different perspectives, allowing players to choose freely.

Frankly, you can play ARC Raiders casually without any problems. But Marathon is not so easy. I would even say that Marathon is not suitable for casual players.

Game Interface

Marathon's HUD and user interface are a chaotic mess, like an obnoxious first-year art student's exhibition, filled with colors and symbols. While you eventually learn them, their design is far from intuitive. It looks like a random jumble of small cubes with some nonsensical designs; unless you read the descriptions, you have no idea what they are. Meanwhile, the map, PvE enemies, and sound effects are all a jumbled mess.

ARC Raiders currently offers a more polished and comprehensive experience. ARC Raiders's combat experience is far superior to Marathon's. You can attack monster parts, and they react. While fighting them is still frightening, they don't feel invincible. The monsters in Marathon are more like tanks, with only their heads as weak points.

ARC Raiders' sound design is simply amazing. You can accurately pinpoint the location of nearby machines through sound effects, and if you hear multiple machines, you can identify them solely by sound. Moreover, the gunshots are very pleasant to hear, and the environmental sound effects are perfectly in line with expectations.

ARC Raiders' map events and design are also superior. Flare flares truly offer players more options. Events like night raids, cold waves, and hurricanes genuinely change how players interact with the map, keeping the game constantly fresh.

Everything in ARC feels more meticulously designed: item pickup is clearer, the user interface is simpler and more ergonomic, missions and contracts provide a real sense of progress, you know exactly what to do, you have your own base, you can invest time at your own pace and desire, creating a more engaging intrinsic goal, and you can customize your character, both in appearance and skill tree.

Game Content

For a game to maintain its longevity, it undoubtedly needs continuous updates and upgrades, bringing more challenging elements.

Many people love ARC Raiders because each extraction feels like completing a huge challenge, but since the first Expedition, players have rarely experienced that exhilarating moment of successfully extracting. Unless you play particularly recklessly, extractions are almost inevitable. However, Marathon does this much better; every successful extraction is a huge and exhilarating challenge.

Marathon is better suited to an extraction shooter because every moment is filled with brutal challenges. ARC Raiders, on the other hand, feels more like a PvE loot-hunting game. To obtain the high-level ARC Raiders Weapon, you must defeat Queen and Matriarch bosses, something many players haven't achieved even after two resets. Marathon makes high-level content more accessible through a clear faction progression system, rather than restricting it to specific enemies like ARC Raiders.

After the second Expedition, ARC Raiders' weaknesses became increasingly apparent. While I enjoy the game's social interactions, once you reach level 75, the items become as monotonous as a shopping list, leaving only those highlights. ARC Raiders should take a good look at Marathon. If there's any room for improvement in ARC, it's increasing the difficulty.

In addition, there's equipment. $1 are lackluster; aside from the golden weapon, the crafting costs for other equipment are pitifully low. I hope the consequences of PvP will be more severe, so players will be more motivated to seriously prepare their gear.

Everyone is comparing these two games because they are essentially both survival shooters. One will succeed, the other will fail - that's the reality. Most survival shooter players won't play both games simultaneously because they don't have that much time and energy.

Therefore, in the long run, Bungie and Embark need to compete for player bases. This is beneficial for players; both games need to continuously upgrade and improve to attract more players.

GameMS - How To Become A Rescue Raider In ARC Raiders? | Essential Items, Tips And Strategies GameMS - How To Become A Rescue Raider In ARC Raiders? | Essential Items, Tips And Strategies
Other Games Nov 26, 2025

How To Become A Rescue Raider In ARC Raiders? | Essential Items, Tips And Strategies

Since its release, ARC Raiders has been loved by players for its thrilling gameplay mechanics and diverse enemies. But what's even more surprising is its friendly atmosphere in Solo Mode, which is unlike any other competitive shooter.

This atmosphere sets ARC Raiders apart from other shooters. Countless new players have tried the game because of its peculiar yet friendly player environment.

Based on this, some players have created a new gameplay: acting as a Rescue Raider to revive downed players. If you're curious about this gameplay, read on.

Why Did Rescue Raider Gameplay Emerge?

ARC Raiders is a shooting game, but its friendly atmosphere in Solo Mode has sparked widespread discussion since its release.

In most shooting games, the basic game mechanic is that players fight against enemies, winning to gain loot and losing to lose their lives. 

While ARC Raiders introduced a unique PvPvE mechanic, putting players in the threat of other hostile players and ARC bots, the core gameplay remains largely the same.

Over time, players were likely to tire of this type of gameplay, leading to a loss of appeal.

However, the friendly interaction between players in Solo Mode transformed the game. The in-game chat function and simple emotes allowed players to quickly understand each other upon meeting, even enabling previously unfamiliar players to team up against the powerful ARC.

In this context, some players moved beyond simple combat and looting of ARC Raiders items. They focused on rescuing wounded and downed players, turning the game into a high-risk rescue mission.

Perhaps this initially stemmed from a few players seeking a more challenging experience, but it quickly gained popularity among others.

This fresh interpretation of the core game mechanics, perfectly blending the thrill of gunfights with the act of helping others, provided players with a novel and rewarding experience.

Strategies And Techniques

If you want to become an excellent Rescue Raider, having the desire to do so isn't enough. Rescuing others requires careful action, quick reflexes in the face of battlefield situations, and constant vigilance.

Here are some strategies to maximize your rescue success rate with ARC Raiders while ensuring your own safety.

Choosing The Right Map And Location

Stay in the center of the map as much as possible, avoiding remote locations, which can reduce the time required to reach the Remote Raider Flare launch point.

Additionally, you can choose smaller maps, such as Buried City and Stella Montis. On these maps, you can reach your destination faster and rescue other players.

Improving Mobility

ARC Raiders features a skill tree system with three distinct specializations: Conditioning, Survival, and Mobility. Players can unlock these skills to gain different bonuses.

To become an excellent Rescue Raider, you can enhance your Mobility branch, helping your character gain better climbing, jumping, and stamina, resulting in faster movement.

State Your Purpose

To avoid being misunderstood by other players, it's best to quickly state your purpose when approaching a downed player. Many players don't believe they'll be rescued in ARC Raiders. Clearly identifying yourself can help them persevere and build trust.

Risk Management

It's important to note that discovering a Remote Raider Flare doesn't mean the location is completely safe. Many downed players have been attacked by other raiders, who may still be in the area.

Before reaching your destination, listen carefully to your surroundings, assess potential dangers, and check if an attacker is still nearby.

Furthermore, always remain vigilant during revival and avoid reckless actions. Rescue others only when their own safety is guaranteed. If unexpected situations arise, you might engage in intense combat with other players, but the most important thing is to evacuate safely.

Essential Items

As a Rescue Raider, the most important item is Defibrillator. It's a Rare-level ARC Raiders item that can quickly revive downed players and restore some health.

There are several ways to obtain it: you can loot it while exploring the map or craft it in the workshop. If you don't have blueprints and haven't obtained them through looting, you can get them from Lance.

However, this isn't a cost-effective option. Rescuing players in ARC Raiders this way will consume an unimaginable amount of coins.

Furthermore, to ensure your safety during dangerous rescue operations, you'll need to equip some powerful weapons, but you should also consider the burden these $1 place on your character.

For Rescue Raiders, the most important thing is healing others and preserving yourself, not winning a spectacular battle. Therefore, you need to consider your own situation and make trade-offs between mobility and firepower, prioritizing agility.

Weapons like Burletta and Vulcano might be worth trying.

The thrill of Rescue Raider gameplay lies in players rescuing others in unknown situations, which undoubtedly increases the danger of adventuring on the map. This reflects both the friendly atmosphere and flexible game mechanics of ARC Raiders, while also providing players with a completely new experience different from looting and combat.

Whether you're a thrill-seeking pacifist player or looking to try something new, becoming a Rescue Raider and saving others is a gameplay style worth exploring.

GameMS - How To Survive And Thrive As A Solo Player In ARC Raiders' New Stella Montis Map? GameMS - How To Survive And Thrive As A Solo Player In ARC Raiders' New Stella Montis Map?
Other Games Nov 21, 2025

How To Survive And Thrive As A Solo Player In ARC Raiders' New Stella Montis Map?

The latest map for ARC Raiders, Stella Montis, was recently released. How have you all been? Compared to previous maps, its difficulty and the quality of loot have both increased.

Furthermore, PvP nature of ARC Raiders is more pronounced on this map. Competition between players is fierce, as no one wants to lose out on rare loot.

So, if you're playing solo in such a PvP-heavy environment, you must be more cautious to survive. Here are a few survival strategies you should pay attention to.

Change Communication Strategy

Compared to the previous four ARC Raiders maps, Stella Montis offers much richer loot, but this also makes competition more intense, resulting in a less friendly communication environment. Therefore, you'll need to change your communication strategy when playing solo on this map.

So, what communication strategy should you maintain at Stella Montis?

First, attack first, then greet. You never know if the player approaching you is genuinely trying to make friends like you, or someone ready to steal your loot.

In the earlier maps, you might enjoy greeting others and have a high chance of encountering friendly players. But in Stella Montis, I suggest greeting others with your weapon instead of just saying hello. The moment you greet someone, they might already be attacking.

Secondly, always be vigilant. Besides being wary of players who seem unfriendly, be careful of those who greet you first. They might shoot you when you let your guard down and then leave. It's a despicable act, but unfortunately, it's not uncommon on this map.

In short, solo players must always be vigilant when interacting with others. Faced with tempting loot, some people will abandon their kindness for greed.

Temporary Team-Up Advice

Although you join the map solo, sometimes you'll have to temporarily team up to complete challenges or improve efficiency. Obviously, in this unfriendly environment, temporary team-ups also require extreme caution.

First, keep your team size small; two or three people are enough. With fewer people, you can monitor everyone's actions, reducing the chance of betrayal by teammates.

Then, the method for finding teammates is the same as the communication strategy mentioned above. Shoot the other person first, then ask if they want to team up. If they agree, they become your temporary teammates. Then choose to set off or find the next teammate.

Finally, don't let your guard down unless you can guarantee your teammates are completely trustworthy. Many people are suitable only for temporary cooperation to complete challenges. They might become your opponents later.

Frankly, the current communication environment on ARC Raiders' new map is terrible, but we can't change the entire environment single-handedly; we can only try to adapt to it.

Make Good Use Of Free Loadouts

Stella Montis map is quite difficult, with unpredictable weather, complex building structures, and unfamiliar and dangerous enemies. Even with many guides available, you'll still need time to adapt and familiarize yourself with it.

This process might cost you many $1, so you can use free loadouts to familiarize yourself with the map and enemies. This way, even if you fail, it won't cause you any substantial losses.

Furthermore, you may have noticed that the shotgun animation currently has some flaws, especially in the harsh environment of Stella Montis, where the negative effects of this animation are even more pronounced.

So until you're fully familiar with Stella Montis or the shotgun animation fix, use free loadouts for adventures.

Stay Away From Spawn Points

The spawns at Stella Montis are also very unfriendly. Your enemy might spawn right behind you and then attack you before you're prepared.

So you can only stay away from spawns, don't wander around nearby, and definitely don't engage enemies nearby. This is a complete waste of time and gives a third person an opportunity to ambush you. 

Also Read: $1

Shredders Countermeasures

This is a new ARC enemy in ARC Raiders, patrolling inside the buildings on the north side of the map. It has high speed and extremely high melee explosive damage, making it a very troublesome enemy. So how do you defeat them solo?

First, prepare grenades; medium grenades will destroy them. Their weak point is the thruster at the bottom; destroying it will prevent them from hovering, allowing you to destroy them.

Then, during the fight, maintain distance. Shredders are very ambush-oriented. You'll need to use rooms or obstacles to prevent them from getting close. Wait for them to attack first, then seize the opening after their attack to attack their weak point.

Finally, lure Shredders away from their spawns before engaging them. It's better to deal with them alone than to expect help from strangers. You might get ambushed by a third party.

Besides dropping their exclusive loot, Shredder Gyro, Shredders sometimes drop rare ARC Raiders Items. So, if you're spotted and can't escape, try to defeat them; you might get unexpected rewards.

Make Good Use Of Tools

Dear Raiders, never rely solely on your weapons. Make good use of the useful tools on the map to aid you on your adventure.

Especially in Stella Montis, strategically using tools to set traps will give you a significant advantage in the game.

For example, Jolt Mine forces enemies to destroy it to avoid being trapped. This inevitably delays their progress, buying you time to collect loot or retreat.

ARC Raiders' Stella Montis map certainly presents many challenges for single-player players. But the sense of accomplishment when you overcome these challenges and successfully retreat with a wealth of loot is unparalleled!

GameMS - What Should You Do Before Entering Diablo 4 Season 11? | 4 Essential Tips GameMS - What Should You Do Before Entering Diablo 4 Season 11? | 4 Essential Tips
Diablo 4 Nov 19, 2025

What Should You Do Before Entering Diablo 4 Season 11? | 4 Essential Tips

As we all know, Diablo 4 Season 11 is expected to launch on December 9th. This news ignited the enthusiasm of countless players, but many features in PTR 2.5.0 disappointed them.

Fortunately, the developers recently revealed that they are making adjustments to the content of Diablo 4 Season 11. Hopefully, the official team can provide players with a satisfactory result.

Here are some tips and tricks to help you smoothly transition from Season 10 to Season 11. Hopefully, they will be helpful.

1. Experience The Content And Enjoy The Game

With its rich and exciting gameplay, Diablo 4 has gained immense popularity since its release, especially after the introduction of Chaos Perks and Chaos Armor in Season 10, which further fueled player enthusiasm.

With such a successful predecessor, the features of Season 11 showcased by the developers in PTR have sparked widespread discussion, with some controversial features making it difficult for many players to accept D4 Season 11.

However, players need to understand that PTR content is not static. The official team adjusts mechanics and settings based on player feedback, and it rarely reflects the experience after official release.

Therefore, instead of judging based on your impressions of PTR, it's better to experience the new season yourself. Only by experiencing it firsthand can you know whether you like the game and its mechanics and background. Don't let negative emotions influence your judgment.

We believe that Diablo 4 Season 11, after its improvements, will provide you with a satisfying gaming experience.

2. Join Discord To Prepare For The New Season

Whether you enjoy exploring the game solo or teaming up to challenge Diablo 4, we strongly recommend joining Discord. It's a hub for countless Diablo 4 players, and even before Season 11 has started, they are still actively discussing it.

Players can share their builds, $1 needed to create better builds, and how to defeat powerful bosses faster. They share their experiences and game tips, and if you join, you can gain many new ideas and inspiration.

3. Choose The Right Leveling Guide

To progress further in the new season, choosing a suitable build with high growth potential at the start is crucial.

Now, you can compare build guides of interest across various platforms and invest time and effort in developing your final choice after the season begins.

These leveling guides rarely change and can be used into the next season, providing detailed explanations of each stage of the leveling process. Of course, since Chaos Perks and Chaos Armor are not available in Season 11, these guides differ slightly, but the overall development direction is basically the same.

You can fine-tune your build to suit the game mechanics, and with continuous refinement, you'll surely be able to easily defeat powerful enemies in Diablo 4 Season 11.

4. Understand Eternal Realm

The concept of Eternal Realm may be unfamiliar to new players, but it will help veteran players preserve some precious game memories.

After the new season begins, character runes, gold, weapons, and other Diablo 4 seasonal items will be transferred to Eternal Realm and will not be usable in the new season. These items are stored in a warehouse-like space, and once you choose to clear it, you can no longer obtain them.

If you want to properly preserve some season memories, remember to put seasonal items into the Eternal Realm in a timely manner.

These are some of our tips. They may not directly help you win battles, but we hope they can provide some inspiration and help you enjoy Diablo 4 Season 11 more.

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