ARC Raiders vs BLACKWOOD

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: PvPvE (Solo, Duo, or Trio Squads)
• Setting: Post-Apocalyptic Earth (Italy)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Release Date: 2025-10-30
• Unique Feature: A unique 'no one-shot kill' shield mechanic that disincentivizes camping, and a persistent progression system with no forced wipes.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: 2012 Brooklyn, New York
• Platforms: PC
• Release Window: Q3 2026
• Unique Feature: A unique dual-life gameplay system that blends life simulation as a DVD store owner with a brutal, cinematic, John Wick-inspired third-person shooter.

• Squad Mates: The game is designed for squads of 1-3 players. Teammates can be revived (without a special tool), share loot, and must coordinate to survive against ARC and other player squads.
  Human (Player)
• Scrappy the Rooster: A pet companion located in the player's hub. Scrappy provides a steady, passive stream of basic materials after every raid, ensuring players always have a baseline of resources, even after multiple failed runs.
  Animal (Rooster)

• Recipes: Found topside, these are one of the most valuable items. Successfully extracting a recipe permanently unlocks the ability to craft that item at the Workshop.
• Keys: Rare items found topside. 'Key Room' keys unlock high-value loot rooms on the map. 'Raider Hatch Keys' unlock rare, silent extraction points.
• Codex Entries: Unlocked by progressing. This is a growing repository of lore about the ARC, the world, and its inhabitants.

• DVDs: As the owner of a DVD store, players can buy and sell films, which may function as a form of collectible.
• Lore Items: The detailed world is filled with environmental storytelling (ads, tattoos, posters) that piece together the game's narrative.

• Sci-Fi
• Post-Apocalyptic
• Extraction Shooter
• PvPvE
• Third-Person Shooter
• Robots
• Survival

• Action
• Thriller
• Third-Person Shooter
• Hitman
• Dual Life
• Crime
• Narrative-Driven
• Beat 'em up

• Firearms: Varies (Assault Rifles, SMGs, Snipers, Shotguns)
  A diverse arsenal of 19 different firearms across multiple categories. Weapons use one of four simplified ammo types (Light, Medium, Heavy, Shotgun) and can be customized with attachments. Examples include the 'Rattler' AR and 'Osprey' sniper rifle.
• Gadgets: Utility / Tactical
  A wide range of craftable items essential for survival and combat, including grenades, mines, door blockers, deployable barricades, and zip lines.

• Firearms: Varies
  A diverse arsenal of over 30 unique weapons for fast, stylish, and unforgiving gunplay.
• Hand-to-Hand: Melee
  A core component of combat, used in the game's extensive and brutal takedown system.
• Environmental Weapons: Improvised
  Players can use the environment around them to eliminate enemies with precision and style as part of the contextual finisher system.

• Shields: The primary defensive item. Shields come in Light, Medium, and Heavy variants, providing a regenerating health pool. A fully-charged shield prevents a player from being one-shot. Shields degrade and must be repaired in the hub.
• Raider Augments: A special gear slot that allows players to fine-tune their build, affecting stats like backpack slots, weight limit, and the number of equippable weapons or quick-use items.

• Cosmetic Customization: Players can fully customize their Raider's appearance with a wide array of outfits, backpacks, attachments, and charms. Cosmetics are unlocked via quests, Raider Decks, or the in-game store. The Deluxe Edition includes the 'Astro' and 'Bruiser' bundles.

Progression is persistent and does not wipe. Players earn XP to level up and gain skill points, which can be invested in three skill trees: Conditioning (stamina, breaching), Mobility (climbing, vaulting), and Survival (looting speed, stealth). A voluntary prestige system called the 'Expedition Project' allows players to reset their progress for exclusive rewards.

The game incorporates light RPG elements to make Anton's dual identity feel more tangible. While specific skill trees have not been detailed, progression is tied to mastering the combat system, which includes fluid movement (dives, rolls, slides) and a vast arsenal of over 30 unique weapons. A key part of the gameplay is mastering the game's 30+ contextual finishers.

The game features a large, open-world map with four confirmed zones: Dam Battlegrounds (a large starting area with forests and a dam), Buried City (a metropolitan area covered in sand), Spaceport (a derelict industrial zone), and Blue Gate (a mountain area). A fifth map, Stella Montis, is rumored. Maps feature dynamic weather, time of day, and special events.

The game takes place in the open world of 2012 New York. The city is designed to be a living character, with every detail carrying meaning. The core gameplay loop is split between managing Anton's DVD store in Brooklyn during the day and exploring the city's criminal underworld on contract kills at night.

• The Raider: Playable Character
  The player's customizable character. Players can choose their face, body type, and hair, and then define their playstyle through a classless skill tree system.
• Celeste: Key NPC
  The charismatic raider leader in the Speranza hub who is responsible for providing the main story quests.
• Tion Wyn: Key NPC
  The reclusive gun craftsman who runs the gun shop in Speranza.

• Topside Expeditions
  The main gameplay loop. Players deploy to one of the large open-world maps for a 30-minute session to scavenge for loot, complete quests for traders, and interact with dynamic events, with the ultimate goal of successfully extracting.
• World Boss Encounters
  A dynamic, high-risk MMO-style objective to defeat massive ARC bosses like 'The Queen' at the Harvester. This requires cooperation between multiple squads and yields 'insane' loot.

• Main Story Quests
  A cinematic, slow-burn narrative campaign that follows Anton Blackwood as he carries out his contracts and gets pulled deeper into a web of conspiracies, questioning if he is truly in control of his own life.
• DVD Store Management
  A life simulation gameplay loop where players must run Anton's business by buying and selling films, decorating the shop, and interacting with customers.

The core mode is a persistent PvPvE extraction shooter where players can queue up solo, in duos, or in trios. The map is populated by other players and AI-controlled ARC machines. Proximity chat is enabled, allowing for emergent alliances or betrayals. There is no in-match squadding.

The game is designed as a live service with a seasonal 'Raider Deck' (battle pass) that offers free and paid progression tracks. Developers have emphasized that monetization is cosmetic-only and not 'pay to win'. New maps, weapons, and features will be added over time based on community feedback.

• Q: What is ARC Raiders?
  A: ARC Raiders is a third-person, PvPvE extraction shooter from the developers of The Finals. Players (as 'Raiders') scavenge a post-apocalyptic Earth, fighting other players and a deadly army of AI robots called ARC, all while trying to extract with valuable loot.
• Q: Is ARC Raiders free-to-play?
  A: No. The game was originally announced as free-to-play but has shifted to a premium model. The Standard Edition costs $40.
• Q: Is it a 'one-shot' extraction shooter like Tarkov?
  A: No. A key feature is the shield system, which prevents players from being one-shot as long as their shield is charged. This encourages more movement and tactical, drawn-out fights rather than camping.
• Q: Are there server wipes?
  A: No, the developers have stated there are no forced wipes. All progression is permanent. There is a voluntary prestige system called the 'Expedition Project' that players can opt-in to for exclusive rewards.

• Q: What is BLACKWOOD?
  A: BLACKWOOD is a single-player, third-person action thriller about a man living a double life as a DVD store owner by day and a professional hitman by night. It is known for its John Wick-inspired combat and deep, cinematic narrative.
• Q: What is the gameplay like?
  A: It is a blend of life simulation and third-person shooting. By day, you manage a DVD store. By night, you engage in fast, stylish, and brutal cover-based gunplay and hand-to-hand combat, with a focus on over 30 contextual takedowns.
• Q: Who is making the game?
  A: The game is being developed and published by AttritoM7 Productions, the studio behind the tactical FPS, Zero Hour.
• Q: When will it be released?
  A: The game is scheduled for release in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026 on PC via Steam.

• SPECULATIVE PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. The minimum spec is based on developer suggestion (GTX 970), with other tiers extrapolated for a modern, highly optimized Unreal Engine 5 title.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will vary based on the model's cooling and TGP. The game is noted for being 'hella optimized,' but a stable framerate is still crucial for PvPvE combat.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5 and maintain high framerates.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense, large-scale encounters will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex AI of the ARC and other players.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a competitive shooter.
• Game Name: ARC Raiders

• SPECULATIVE PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. As official specs are To Be Determined (TBD), these are hypothetical projections for a next-generation title, likely built on Unreal Engine 5.
• Laptop Performance Note: A title like this would demand a high-performance gaming laptop for the best experience. The game's emphasis on cinematic action and fluid animations will require stable performance.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features and maintain high framerates during intense firefights.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich city and effects-heavy combat will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the advanced enemy AI and physics-based interactions.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a fast-paced shooter.
• Game Name: BLACKWOOD

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5 and maintain high framerates.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense, large-scale encounters will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex AI of the ARC and other players.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a competitive shooter.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features and maintain high framerates during intense firefights.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich city and effects-heavy combat will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the advanced enemy AI and physics-based interactions.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a fast-paced shooter.