01 · The Raid Loop

Fight, loot, extract — or lose it all.

• Extraction shooter format Deploy onto a map with personal gear. Complete tasks, loot containers, eliminate enemies (PvP and PvE). Extract before time runs out or die and lose everything.
• PvPvE combat Each raid has both AI enemies (Scavs, militants) and other players. The two threat types layer; players engage each other while AI joins the chaos.
• Full loot on death Die in a raid and lose your equipped gear, secure container contents excluded. Other players can claim your loot from your corpse.
• Stash for safe storage Personal stash storage between raids. Loot from successful extractions goes to stash; gear used in raids comes from stash.
• Secure container Specific items can be placed in the secure container. These items are protected from death (extraction failure doesn't lose them). Crucial for high-value items like keys and quest items.
• Free-to-play model Free download; in-game purchases for cosmetics, premium currency, and Battle Pass. Core gameplay accessible to all players.
• Stunningly realistic visuals Unreal Engine-based graphics emphasize realism. High-fidelity environments, weapons, and lighting create the extraction shooter aesthetic.

02 · Raid Maps

Each map has unique loot pools and engagement zones.

• Farm (the starter map) Most-accessible map. Rural farmland with multiple POIs. Lower-tier loot but lower-skill PvP. Recommended for newcomers.
• Northridge Industrial complex with multiple buildings. Mid-tier loot; mid-tier engagement difficulty. Vertical engagement points across building floors.
• TV Station High-tier loot with intense PvP. Tall building with multiple floors; multi-team encounters common. Veteran territory.
• Armory High-value loot zone. Military equipment and rare weapons. PvP-intense; multiple extraction points; territory control matters.
• Valley Open-environment map. Long sightlines; vehicle-friendly. Sniper engagements common; mid-range engagement variety.
• Map rotation Different maps unlock at different account levels. Newer players start in Farm and Northridge; high-tier maps unlock through progression.
• Extraction points Each map has multiple extraction points. Specific points require additional steps (key items, faction reputation). Plan extraction route from match start.

03 · Character & Secure Container

Manage gear for risk and reward.

• Stash limit (account-wide) Stash has a fixed slot limit. Sell or store unused gear; full stash blocks new loot. Premium tiers expand stash capacity.
• Secure container (size-tiered) Small containers protect a few high-value items. Larger containers (purchased or unlocked) protect more. Death-protected; insurance for critical items.
• Loadout templates Save common loadouts as templates. Quick-equip the right gear for each map without manual swapping. Saves time between raids.
• Insurance system Insure gear before raids. If lost gear is found on a map (not looted by another player) within a time window, it returns. Partial protection against losses.
• Health and limb damage Realistic damage model. Take damage in limbs; each limb has separate HP. Bandages and medical kits restore specific limbs.
• Medical items CMS kits, Salewa, Augmentin antibiotics, painkillers, splints. Each addresses specific injuries; manage carefully during raids.
• Encumbrance Carrying capacity limited by character stamina. Heavy gear slows movement; manage encumbrance for engagement type.

04 · Weapons & Attachments

Deep weapon customization.

Weapon Class	Examples	Style
Assault Rifles	M4A1, AK-74M, HK 416, FAL	Mid-range workhorses. Versatile across most engagements.
Submachine Guns	MP5, MP7, P90	Close-range fire rate. Effective indoors and in CQB.
Battle Rifles / DMRs	SR-25, MK14, SVD	Long-range engagement. Higher damage per shot than ARs.
Sniper Rifles	M40A6, SVDS, AWP-style platforms	Long-range precision. Slow fire rate; one-shot potential.
Shotguns	M870, KSG, Saiga-12	Close-range one-shot weapons. Devastating indoor.
Pistols	Glock, M9, Desert Eagle	Sidearms. Backup weapons or quick-draw alternatives.
Weapon attachments	Sights, barrels, magazines, stocks, suppressors	Modify stats: damage, recoil, range, sound profile.
Ammo penetration tiers	Standard, AP, armor-piercing variants	Higher-tier ammo penetrates armor. Match ammo to expected enemy armor.

05 · Gear Tiers

Armor and helmet tiers define survivability.

• Armor class system Armor tiers from 1 (paper) to 6+ (high-end military). Higher tiers absorb more damage; weight more; cost more.
• Helmet classes Separate from armor. Protect head; class-rated for ballistic resistance. Headshots can still penetrate even at high tiers.
• Plate carrier vs full vests Plate carriers cover torso only; full vests cover more. Plate carriers favor mobility; full vests favor maximum protection.
• Backpacks Carrying capacity expansion. Different sizes; trade-off between loot capacity and mobility.
• Headsets and face covers Audio enhancement gear and additional head protection. High-end headsets improve combat audio quality significantly.
• Ammo type matters more than gun type Effective combat depends on ammo penetration matching enemy armor. T-class ammo vs T-class armor; mismatched ammo wastes shots.
• High-tier gear in raids Wearing top-tier gear into raids increases survivability but increases loss risk. Veterans balance gear quality with expected raid difficulty.

06 · Vendors & Tasks

NPCs that drive progression.

• Vendor hubs Multiple vendors in safe zones. Each has unique stock, specializations, and tasks. Build reputation through quest completion.
• Task progression Vendors offer raid-specific tasks: kill X enemies, retrieve Y item, extract via Z point. Completion grants experience, gold, and item unlocks.
• Reputation tiers Each vendor has a reputation track. Higher reputation unlocks better stock and special items.
• Item flipping (marketplace) Buy items cheap; sell for profit. Marketplace prices fluctuate with player demand; opportunistic traders make significant profit.
• Trader stock rotation Vendor stock rotates over time. Some rare items only available during specific windows.
• Insurance from vendors Specific vendors offer raid insurance. Insure gear before raid; partial loss protection.
• Black market access Some high-tier items only available through black market vendors. Higher reputation and gameplay progression required.

07 · Raid Modes

Multiple raid formats.

• Normal Raids Standard PvPvE extraction format. Most-played mode; balanced difficulty.
• Tactical Raids Higher-stakes variant. More dangerous AI, increased PvP density, higher loot rewards. Veteran territory.
• Lockdown Raids High-difficulty raid mode. Top-tier loot; extreme PvP intensity. The endgame raid experience.
• Squad Raids Team-based raids. Squads of 2-5 players coordinate together. Voice communication essential.
• Solo Raids Single-player versions of standard raids. Lower team coordination required; pure individual skill expression.
• Limited-time raid modes Periodic special events with unique rule sets. Event-exclusive cosmetics; community-driven engagement.
• Wipe cycles Servers periodically wipe (reset progression). Major wipes accompany content updates. Plan for periodic resets.

08 · Anti-Tampering Policy

Tencent’s 0% tolerance approach.

• Zero tolerance policy Tencent enforces a 0% tolerance policy. Any rule violation results in serious penalty.
• Detection methods Behavioral analysis, anti-tampering scans, hardware fingerprinting. The system monitors for any unauthorized modifications.
• Penalties include 10-year bans Penalties include 10-year account bans and device bans. The community-bulletin penalty publicly identifies banned players.
• Reporting system Players can report suspected violators. Reports trigger automated and manual review.
• Hardware bans (HWID) Repeated violations trigger HWID bans. Future accounts on the same device flagged.
• Account-bound progression All progression is account-bound. Bans permanently lose all stash items, character progression, and rewards.
• Community education Tencent emphasizes that all violations damage the player community. Reporting and avoidance protect everyone.

09 · Mobile vs PC

Two separate platforms.

• Arena Breakout (mobile) The original mobile version. Released July 2022 in China, July 2023 globally. iOS and Android. Massive Asian audience.
• Arena Breakout: Infinite (PC) PC version on Steam. Released 2024. Higher fidelity visuals, mouse-and-keyboard combat. Active live service.
• Separate progression Mobile and PC versions don’t share progression. Different game; different accounts.
• Mobile player base Mobile version dominant in Asia (China, Southeast Asia, India). Hundreds of millions of mobile downloads since launch.
• PC player base PC version smaller but growing. Active in Western markets where mobile extraction shooters are less popular.
• Feature parity Core extraction loop is identical between platforms. Specific maps, weapons, and modes may differ. Each platform receives its own content updates.
• Controller support PC version supports controller play. Activate Steam Input in game properties; choose standard controller layout.

10 · Audio & Settings

Audio cues are the meta.

• Headphones critical Arena Breakout audio (footsteps, gunshots, equipment sounds) is the meta. Quality stereo headphones reveal threat direction.
• Master volume around 50–60 percent Arena Breakout peaks loud during combat. Lower master volume preserves headroom for distant audio cues.
• Field of view 90 Standard for tactical extraction shooters. Adjustable; higher values may distort weapon model accuracy.
• Mouse sensitivity low Realistic tactical shooter rewards deliberate aim. 800 DPI and moderate in-game sensitivity is standard.
• Performance tuning Arena Breakout: Infinite is GPU-demanding. Reduce shadows and foliage for higher framerate; DLSS supported.
• Push-to-talk for proximity PTT for in-raid voice. Default keybind; reconfigure for comfort.
• Verify after every patch Tencent ships patches approximately bi-weekly. Five minutes of menu review per patch prevents one bad raid.

11 · Pro Tips

Compound habits across the long extraction arc.

• Start in Farm, then Northridge Farm is the newcomer map. Master extraction routes, AI behavior, and PvP patterns before moving to higher-tier maps.
• Match ammo to armor High-class armor requires armor-piercing ammo. Don’t waste rounds on under-tier ammo; check market values before raids.
• Use suppressors for solo play Suppressors reduce AI detection. Mandatory for stealth approaches; helpful even in standard raids.
• Stockpile in secure container Always carry valuable items in secure container. Keys, quest items, top-tier ammo. Death doesn’t lose them.
• Plan extraction route from spawn Mental map of extraction points and rotation paths from spawn location. Veterans pre-plan; new players improvise and die.
• Insurance for high-tier gear Insure top-tier gear before risky raids. Partial loss protection; recovery if gear isn’t player-looted.
• Don’t engage PMC vs PMC in early raids AI Scavs are predictable; PMC players are not. Avoid PvP early; build experience first; engage PvP after 50+ hours.