ARC Raiders Maps and Map Conditions Explained
November 9, 2026 · 6 min read
On this page
- All ARC Raiders maps
- How long is a raid?
- How to unlock new maps
- What's special about Pendola Pass
- How map conditions work
- Major map conditions
- Minor map conditions and events
- Map conditions and PvE
- Which map should you play?
- Frequently asked questions
- How many maps are in ARC Raiders?
- What is the newest ARC Raiders map?
- How do you unlock maps in ARC Raiders?
- How long does a raid last in ARC Raiders?
- How often do map conditions change?
- What is a Night Raid in ARC Raiders?
ARC Raiders has seven maps you can raid as of November 2026: Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, The Blue Gate, Riven Tides, Stella Montis and Pendola Pass. On top of that, map conditions rotate on an hourly schedule and change the weather, enemies and loot on each map. Here's what each map is like and what every current condition does.
Last checked: November 9, 2026.
All ARC Raiders maps
| Map | Setting | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Dam Battlegrounds | A waterlogged power plant known as "the Dam," overgrown with plants | The first map you play; open from the start |
| Buried City | An old town half-buried in desert sand dunes | Narrow streets and plazas; home of the Bird City condition |
| Spaceport | Acerra Spaceport, where the Exodus shuttles once launched | Has a launch tower; home of the Hidden Bunker condition |
| The Blue Gate | A gateway into the mountains, in a scarred valley | Home of the Locked Gate condition |
| Riven Tides | An abandoned coastal harbor resort | Loot value raised by about 15% in Update 2.0; home of Beachcombing |
| Stella Montis | A research facility among snowy peaks | Often runs the Night Raid condition |
| Pendola Pass | A frozen summit observatory beyond the Rust Belt | Added in the Frozen Trail update on October 8, 2026 |
There's also a Practice Range, a safe spot where you can test weapons and gear without ARC hunting you.
How long is a raid?
A normal raid lasts up to 30 minutes. A few big conditions, such as Locked Gate on The Blue Gate and Hidden Bunker on Spaceport, stretch that to 40 minutes. You don't always join at the very start, so check the timer and extraction points as soon as you land.
How to unlock new maps
You start on Dam Battlegrounds. The other maps unlock as you play more rounds, so the newest ones, like Stella Montis and Pendola Pass, take the longest to open. Unlocked maps stay unlocked, even if you later reset through an Expedition.
What's special about Pendola Pass
Pendola Pass arrived with Frozen Trail, the biggest update since launch. According to Embark's Frozen Trail patch notes and announcement:
- You get there by Ballistic Gondola. The map lies beyond the reach of the tunnel network, so gondolas carry Raiders up the mountain and also serve as the way out.
- A fallen Emperor holds rare tech. One of the giant ARC known as Emperors has crashed here, and its wreck can be explored for loot.
- New enemies guard it. The Bully, Skulker and Hydra all debuted with this update.
- Loot moves around. Pendola Pass is testing a Dynamic Loot Zone system. Each area keeps its loot type, but how valuable it is changes from raid to raid, so fixed loot routes are less reliable.
For tips on the new machines, see our ARC Raiders enemies guide.
How map conditions work
Each map cycles through special variants called map conditions. Embark's official Map Conditions page shows what's active and coming up for your server region, up to 24 hours ahead. Conditions run in one-hour slots, and you can filter by condition or by map. On supported browsers, the bell icon sends a notification when a condition starts, as long as the page stays open.
There are two kinds of conditions:
- Major conditions change the atmosphere and rules of the map. They make the raid harder and usually reward you with better loot.
- Minor conditions add an event, a boss or extra loot of a certain type.
Some conditions don't allow a free loadout, so you'll need to bring your own gear.
Major map conditions
The "seen on" column lists the maps where each condition appeared on the official schedule for the 24 hours we checked. The rotation changes, so treat it as a guide, not a fixed rule.
| Condition | What changes | Seen on |
|---|---|---|
| Night Raid | A dark raid with better loot behind locked doors, more keys to find and more ARC than usual | Stella Montis, Buried City, Spaceport, Pendola Pass |
| Electromagnetic Storm | Lightning strikes the map, frying electronics, disrupting ARC and hurting Raiders caught out | Dam Battlegrounds |
| Hurricane | Strong winds sweep across the map and cut visibility and hearing | Buried City |
| Close Scrutiny | Groups of Surveyors and Vaporizers scan the map for valuable materials | Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City |
| ARC Frigate | A huge ARC Frigate hovers over the map and attacks anything that resists | Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, Buried City, The Blue Gate, Pendola Pass |
| Locked Gate | The Gate is in emergency shutdown; find 4 key cards to open what's hidden inside | The Blue Gate |
Hidden Bunker is another major condition, on Spaceport, where you hunt for 4 buttons to open a locked bunker full of loot. It wasn't on the schedule during our check, but it can rotate back in.
Minor map conditions and events
| Condition | What changes | Seen on |
|---|---|---|
| Beachcombing | Trinkets and small finds are buried in the sand; a Dockmaster's Detector helps you dig them up | Riven Tides |
| Bird City | Flocks of birds gather around chimneys across the city | Buried City |
| Lush Blooms | Plants and fruit grow in abundance, so food and plant materials are easier to gather | Most maps |
| Prospecting Probes | ARC drop extra probes, each one guarded | Most maps |
| Harvester | A harvesting machine appears, guarded by the Queen | Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, The Blue Gate |
| Matriarch | A Matriarch shows up nearby, protected by smaller ARC | Spaceport, Dam Battlegrounds, The Blue Gate |
| Redirection | Emperor Beacons activate; loot and deploy them to redirect valuable payloads to your position | Pendola Pass |
Some trials can only be finished during certain minor conditions, so check the schedule if you're chasing one.
Map conditions and PvE
During Embark's October 2026 PvE toggle test, Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, ARC Frigate and Redirection stayed PvPvE only, because they're built around meeting other Raiders. Read more in our guide to ARC Raiders PvE mode.
Which map should you play?
- New players: Stick to Dam Battlegrounds until you're comfortable with looting and extracting. Our ARC Raiders beginner guide covers the basics.
- Farming materials: Lush Blooms is a good time to gather food and plant materials, and Prospecting Probes adds extra probes to breach for ARC loot.
- Big loot with friends: Matriarch, Harvester and ARC Frigate reward squads that can take down a giant.
- High risk, high reward: Night Raid and Locked Gate offer better loot but come with more danger.
Frequently asked questions
How many maps are in ARC Raiders?
There are seven raid maps as of November 2026: Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, The Blue Gate, Riven Tides, Stella Montis and Pendola Pass. There's also a Practice Range for testing gear.
What is the newest ARC Raiders map?
Pendola Pass is the newest map. It launched with the Frozen Trail update on October 8, 2026, and you reach it by Ballistic Gondola.
How do you unlock maps in ARC Raiders?
Dam Battlegrounds is open from the start, and the other maps unlock as you play more rounds. Once a map is unlocked, it stays unlocked.
How long does a raid last in ARC Raiders?
A standard raid lasts up to 30 minutes. Some major conditions, like Locked Gate and Hidden Bunker, extend that to 40 minutes.
How often do map conditions change?
Conditions rotate on an hourly schedule that differs by server region. Embark's official Map Conditions page lists what's active and what's coming up over the next 24 hours.
What is a Night Raid in ARC Raiders?
Night Raid is a major map condition that sets the raid at night. Loot behind locked doors is better and keys are easier to find, but more ARC patrol the map.
