Even with some annoyances, game streaming can feel like a Steam Deck cheat code
How services like GeForce Now let you dance around the Deck’s limitations
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
Steam Deck Academy brings together all our guides and explainers on getting the most out of your Steam Deck, no student loans or sweaty dormitories required.
The Steam Deck ’s competitors, whether they’re the old guard Ayaneo family, the luxe Asus ROG Ally X , or the shapeshifting Lenovo Legion Go , usually share the same attack line: they can play more of your games. The Deck’s compatibility issues aren’t nearly as issue-some as they were at launch, but between its Linux-based SteamOS and its relatively mild processing power, but it is true that beefier Windows handhelds will more likely cater to your entire cross-launcher library.
Unless, that is, you get something else to run them for you. Streaming games on the Steam Deck has emerged as a nifty workaround for the portable PC’s lingering compatibility woes, making even officially unsupported games playable. Usually with much better performance, too, as the actual rendering work is done remotely – what you see on the Deck’s screen is basically a video feed of that remote device’s display output, with your control input beamed the other way via a low-latency connection. And because you’re not using SteamOS or the internal hardware to actually run the game, it’s not bound by their limits.
I’ve occasionally suggested the Steam Deck streaming route ‘round these parts, and there are a few ways to go about it. Steam Remote Play , for instance, lets you use your own desktop PC to power games on the Deck, while Xbox Cloud Gaming provides access to Game Pass games that are otherwise completely blocked off. Though even I had missed how, earlier this year, Nvidia had released a Steam Deck-specific installation kit for their GeForce Now service. A rare act of openness, by the green giant’s standards, towards what could in a roundabout way be considered rival hardware.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
Amending my ignorance would mean giving GeForce Now a test run, obviously, but I also see this as a good opportunity to look at streaming games on the Steam Deck more broadly: how the different premium services compare, how wide the game selection really is, and how close the experience comes to the ‘real thing’ of regular, local play.
First, though, I want to highlight the GeForce Now installation process, because it honestly sets the standard for how makers of Windows software can bring their apps to the Steam Deck. Normally, getting a Windows-designed launcher/utility working in SteamOS involves some combination of digging through installation folders, typing incomprehensible code jargon in Steam’s launch option settings, and possibly begging Proton Experimental or Proton GE for help. With the GeForce Now, you just download it, run it, and it appears right there in your Steam library, ready to roll.
In fact, it’s so easy that I don’t even mind breaking up the flow of this article for a quick how-to guide.
Step 1: Hold down the Steam Deck’s power button and select “Switch to Desktop”.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Valve
Step 2: Open a browser and head to the GeForce Now download page . Scroll down a bit, and you’ll see the Steam Deck listed in a Gaming Handheld Devices section; click “Get Started” just below “Steam Deck (BETA)”. This will download the zipped installer.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Valve
Step 3: Open your Downloads folder and extract the folder contents.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Valve
Step 4: Open the unzipped folder and run the installation script. Select “Execute” if prompted.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Valve
Step 5: Click “Yes” on the window that pops up and wait for the script to do its thing, which will include restarting Steam.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Valve
Step 6: After a few short seconds, Steam will open and you’ll see a message confirming GeForce Now is ready to go. Click “OK” and check the Non-Steam section of your games library; you’ll see the new GeForce Now shortcut already in there. At this point, you can restart your Steam Deck and return to Gaming Mode, should you choose.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Valve
It’s good to keep a phone or another PC to hand, as on your first launch you’ll need to head to the GeForce Now login page on a separate browser, and input an 8-digit code that will appear on your Steam Deck’s screen. But after that, you’re in.
Now, it’s still not a flawlessly clean adaptation of the Windows app. Its default control scheme replaces the trackpad’s left-click input with a right thumbstick click, so to actually select things, you need to either rebind it back or move the cursor over the button/field before tapping the cursor via the touchscreen to register a click. Weird. But it does recreate that walking-into-Toys-R-Us-as-a-child feeling more effectively than Xbox Cloud Gaming – partly because there’s no faffing around with text strings to get there, and partly because the range of supported games is absolutely enormous.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
Instead of being tied specifically to its own storefront (though you can buy games here as well), GeForce Now syncs up with your Steam, Ubisoft Connect, Epic Games, EA, GOG, and Xbox accounts to let you stream games you already own, all from one place. It is, therefore, quite distinct from Xbox Cloud Gaming, which as a component of Game Pass Ultimate, enables streaming of your Game Pass collection but nothing beyond that. GeForce Now’s broader church only comes with the catch that the monthly subscription fee (more on these later) doesn’t net you any additional games, just the right to stream the ones you’ve bought previously.
But then, that only means GeForce Now isn’t as effective as Xbox Cloud Gaming as a games discovery method. As a means of playing the ones you already enjoy – and just don’t work that well on the Deck – it’s rammed with possibilities. Over 2,000 of ‘em, at the time of writing, with a handful more added every Thursday. Again, this isn’t an all-you-can-eat buffet in the Game Pass vein, as you still need to own the specific games you want to stream, but GeForce Now’s cross-platform approach grants a far better chance that you’ll find those games supported.
Granted, some do still miss out. Even if you link a fully paid-up Xbox account, not every Game Pass game is streamable via GeForce now – unlike in Microsoft’s own Xbox Cloud Streaming. And of the current top 10 most-played games on Steam (not counting Wallpaper Engine and whatever the fuck Banana is), you won’t find Elden Ring , Grand Theft Auto V , or PUBG: Battlegrounds on GeForce Now’s shelves.
Still, seven out of ten ain’t bad. Nvidia’s service covers a respectable range of indies as well, from hits like Balatro , Vampire Survivors , and Dead Cells to single-dev efforts like Exo One and The Entropy Centre .
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
Having a more expansive library isn’t just important for choice. It means that streaming service will more likely cover the games that have problems, performance- or compatibility-wise, with running on the Steam Deck’s internals. Games that can launch but don’t run well, like Starfield , suddenly become playable at framerates and quality settings beyond that of any handheld on the market. And those that outright won’t work, like Call of Duty Warzone and its Deck-unfriendly anti-cheat, can finally get up and running. Cheat code, lifehack, whatever you want to call it – to stream games on the Steam Deck is to look its hardware limitations in the eye and say “Nah, Imma do it anyway”.
This is true for both GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming, even with the difference in supported games. But Nvidia’s take has another key advantage to portable PC wielders: its cloud rigs are actual PCs. Or at least, are indistinguishable from PCs, as far as the games are concerned; in reality they’re built into data centre racks, like Keanu Reeves and his shaven pals in the Matrix battery. But the end result is still that you’ll be playing the PC version of any given game, unlike Xbox Cloud Gaming, which essentially has you playing the Xbox console versions.
While I’m not saying that to be all “Eww, consoles”, there are visible benefits to GeForce Now’s approach. Streaming from cloud-ified Xboxes will likely secure you either a steady 30fps or 60fps , as per the home console experience, but you’re also more limited in your graphics options, control customisations, and feature support. The most readily apparent example is that Xbox Cloud Gaming defaults to streaming in 16:9, which leaves black bars of unused real estate on the Deck’s 16:10 screen.
GeForce Now’s PC games will, unless a specific game lack 800p support, fill that full 1280x800 resolution much more happily. Plus, between the availability of graphics settings and the potentially much beefier cloud rigs, it’s easy to get performance that thrashes Xbox Cloud Gaming. I’ve been testing the Ultimate tier, which gives you an RTX 4080 -based machine to play with: that’s enough to run Alan Wake II at 60fps with maxed-out path tracing and DLSS Ray Reconstruction . On a handheld!
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
The Priority tier, which is half the price, uses rigs based around the altogether less powerful RTX 3060 and RTX 2080 . Still, that’s enough to run games as well, if not better, than Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S farms. Drop the right settings, and Starfield should still be capable of 60fps Nvidia’s Priority rigs, unlike on its 30fps-capped Xbox edition.
Speaking of visuals, one of the reasons I’ve never been big into cloud gaming on desktop is that a big monitor will highlight the signs that you’re effectively watching a video feed: smudged details and compression can show up, even on a solid broadband connection. The silver lining of the Steam Deck’s shrunk-down 800p screen, however, is that these imperfections are simply harder to spot, making streamed games more closely resemble native running. Looky here at Dungeons of Hinterberg : to my eyes, it’s a smidge more vibrant on the Deck’s own hardware, and you can juuuust see finer details (like the comic book dot shading effect at the base of walls) more clearly. But GeForce Now comes pretty damn close, as does Xbox Cloud Gaming, with the exception of those black bars and some more heavy-handed detailing.
Neither of the streamed versions look crap, basically, and in pretty much all the cloud-based games I’ve played, I was consistently surprised by little input lag I could feel. It really can work as an alternative to installing and playing your Steam Deck games locally.
It’ll cost ya, mind. Xbox Cloud Gaming is currently (though this could change in the future) only available as kind of a bonus feature for Game Pass Ultimate – which means you get the entire collection of Game Pass games in the bargain, but must cough up the highest subscription cost of £15 /$20 per month. GeForce Now has a free option, but with weaker cloud PCs, ads, and a piddly one-hour cap on play sessions, it’s a bit of a non-starter. Instead, you’re looking at £10 / $10 per month for the Priority service or £20 / $20 for Ultimate. Both are half-price as I’m writing this, but that’s just for a temporary Summer sale, and remember: the only games you can stream are the ones you already own.
Even so, GeForce Now Priority looks like the best deal of the bunch, Steam Deck-wise. If you care enough about games to own a Deck in the first place, you probably already have a bunch of stuff to play, and frankly the Ultimate tier includes perks that you can’t really use. 4K streaming and 240fps cap sound fun, but on the Steam Deck specifically, you can only stream at up to 60fps – and the display rez isn’t anywhere close to 4K. That 60fps cap stays in place even on the 90Hz Steam Deck OLED , which isn’t ideal, but then nothing you can play via Xbox Cloud Gaming will fill out the maximum 90fps framerate either.
(Ultimate isn’t completely useless if you want to max out quality settings and ray tracing, as its RTX 4080 rigs are much more powerful, though again, Priority’s cloud PCs are still a sizeable step up from the Deck on performance.)
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
While I’m personally sold on Steam Deck streaming, it’s also worth noting its shortcomings. Besides the ongoing cost, you’ve probably clocked by now that streaming requires access to a dependable Wi-Fi connection – and as it’s a portable PC, the Deck doesn’t always have that luxury. Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now both work well on my home connection, but when I used the latter to boot up Forza Horizon 5 on the Wi-Fi of a newly-built Liverpudlian hotel, I made it about twenty yards before the controls cut out. My last moments before the game closed completely, citing a “spotty connection”, were spent helplessly watching my rudderless Ford Cossie roll pathetically into a tree.
You can also forget about using the Steam Deck’s quick pause/resume feature to pick up an interrupted session, as even a short break will cut the connection and send you back to the launcher. Game Recording , a video capture tool recently added to Steam’s beta client, gets flummoxed as well: it’ll record audio, but only a black screen accompanying it. That seems to be the case for all non-Steam games, to be fair.
Also, I know I keep saying it’s the better of the two main services, but GeForce Now can be irritating when it wants to be. I’ve had consistent problem with Ubisoft Connect games crashing on startup – not a solely me-affecting issue, according to some grumpy Google searches – and while Xbox/Game Pass and Steam games are more reliable, they also demand that you enter your account login details every. Single. Time . Not just when you’ve open up the GeForce Now app anew, but for every individual launch, even if you’ve synced your account and have only just launched a different game on the same service. That’s UX madness.
When the alternative, though, is simply leaving certain games beyond the handheld’s reach, maybe a bit of login faff isn’t the worst thing. As long as you intend to play yours at home, where it can bask in the comforting embrace of speedy Wi-Fi, then the Steam Deck can seriously benefit from game streaming – especially now that it’s easier than ever, constant username demands aside, to set up.
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All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them
These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios
Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.
This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.
We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.
In this guide:
- What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
- Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
- Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations
What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).
To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.
It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.
Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:
| Blueprint | Type | Recipe | Crafted At |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bettina | Weapon | 3x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Heavy Gun Parts 3x Canister | Gunsmith 3 |
| Blue Light Stick | Quick Use | 3x Chemicals | Utility Station 1 |
| Aphelion | Weapon | 3x Magnetic Accelerator 3x Complex Gun Parts 1x Matriarch Reactor | Gunsmith 3 |
| Combat Mk. 3 (Flanking) | Augment | 2x Advanced Electrical Components 3x Processor | Gear Bench 3 |
| Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive) | Augment | 2x Advanced Electrical Components 3x Processor | Gear Bench 3 |
| Complex Gun Parts | Material | 2x Light Gun Parts 2x Medium Gun Parts 2x Heavy Gun Parts | Refiner 3 |
| Fireworks Box | Quick Use | 1x Explosive Compound 3x Pop Trigger | Explosives Station 2 |
| Gas Mine | Mine | 4x Chemicals 2x Rubber Parts | Explosives Station 1 |
| Green Light Stick | Quick Use | 3x Chemicals | Utility Station 1 |
| Pulse Mine | Mine | 1x Crude Explosives 1x Wires | Explosives Station 1 |
| Seeker Grenade | Grenade | 1x Crude Explosives 2x ARC Alloy | Explosives Station 1 |
| Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor) | Augment | 2x Advanced Electrical Components 3x Processor | Gear Bench 3 |
| Angled Grip II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 2 |
| Angled Grip III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 3 |
| Hullcracker | Weapon | 1x Magnetic Accelerator 3x Heavy Gun Parts 1x Exodus Modules | Gunsmith 3 |
| Launcher Ammo | Ammo | 5x Metal Parts 1x Crude Explosives | Workbench 1 |
| Anvil | Weapon | 5x Mechanical Components 5x Simple Gun Parts | Gunsmith 2 |
| Anvil Splitter | Mod | 2x Mod Components 3x Processor | Gunsmith 3 |
| ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? |
| Barricade Kit | Quick Use | 1x Mechanical Components | Utility Station 2 |
| Blaze Grenade | Grenade | 1x Explosive Compound 2x Oil | Explosives Station 3 |
| Bobcat | Weapon | 3x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Light Gun Parts | Gunsmith 3 |
| Osprey | Weapon | 2x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Medium Gun Parts 7x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Burletta | Weapon | 3x Mechanical Components 3x Simple Gun Parts | Gunsmith 1 |
| Compensator II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 4x Wires | Gunsmith 2 |
| Compensator III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Defibrillator | Quick Use | 9x Plastic Parts 1x Moss | Medical Lab 2 |
| ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? |
| Equalizer | Weapon | 3x Magnetic Accelerator 3x Complex Gun Parts 1x Queen Reactor | Gunsmith 3 |
| Extended Barrel | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Extended Light Mag II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 2 |
| Extended Light Mag III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 3 |
| Extended Medium Mag II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 2 |
| Extended Medium Mag III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 3 |
| Extended Shotgun Mag II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 2 |
| Extended Shotgun Mag III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 3 |
| Remote Raider Flare | Quick Use | 2x Chemicals 4x Rubber Parts | Utility Station 1 |
| Heavy Gun Parts | Material | 4x Simple Gun Parts | Refiner 2 |
| Venator | Weapon | 2x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Medium Gun Parts 5x Magnet | Gunsmith 3 |
| Il Toro | Weapon | 5x Mechanical Components 6x Simple Gun Parts | Gunsmith 1 |
| Jolt Mine | Mine | 1x Electrical Components 1x Battery | Explosives Station 2 |
| Explosive Mine | Mine | 1x Explosive Compound 1x Sensors | Explosives Station 3 |
| Jupiter | Weapon | 3x Magnetic Accelerator 3x Complex Gun Parts 1x Queen Reactor | Gunsmith 3 |
| Light Gun Parts | Material | 4x Simple Gun Parts | Refiner 2 |
| Lightweight Stock | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 3 |
| Lure Grenade | Grenade | 1x Speaker Component 1x Electrical Components | Utility Station 2 |
| Medium Gun Parts | Material | 4x Simple Gun Parts | Refiner 2 |
| Torrente | Weapon | 2x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Medium Gun Parts 6x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 3 |
| Muzzle Brake II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 4x Wires | Gunsmith 2 |
| Muzzle Brake III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Padded Stock | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 3 |
| Shotgun Choke II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 4x Wires | Gunsmith 2 |
| Shotgun Choke III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Shotgun Silencer | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Showstopper | Grenade | 1x Advanced Electrical Components 1x Voltage Converter | Explosives Station 3 |
| Silencer I | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 4x Wires | Gunsmith 2 |
| Silencer II | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Snap Hook | Quick Use | 2x Power Rod 3x Rope 1x Exodus Modules | Utility Station 3 |
| Stable Stock II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 2 |
| Stable Stock III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 3 |
| Tagging Grenade | Grenade | 1x Electrical Components 1x Sensors | Utility Station 3 |
| Tempest | Weapon | 3x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Medium Gun Parts 3x Canister | Gunsmith 3 |
| Trigger Nade | Grenade | 2x Crude Explosives 1x Processor | Explosives Station 2 |
| Vertical Grip II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 2 |
| Vertical Grip III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 3 |
| Vita Shot | Quick Use | 2x Antiseptic 1x Syringe | Medical Lab 3 |
| Vita Spray | Quick Use | 3x Antiseptic 1x Canister | Medical Lab 3 |
| Vulcano | Weapon | 1x Magnetic Accelerator 3x Heavy Gun Parts 1x Exodus Modules | Gunsmith 3 |
| Wolfpack | Grenade | 2x Explosive Compound 2x Sensors | Explosives Station 3 |
| Red Light Stick | Quick Use | 3x Chemicals | Utility Station 1 |
| Smoke Grenade | Grenade | 14x Chemicals 1x Canister | Utility Station 2 |
| Deadline | Mine | 3x Explosive Compound 2x ARC Circuitry | Explosives Station 3 |
| Trailblazer | Grenade | 1x Explosive Compound 1x Synthesized Fuel | Explosives Station 3 |
| Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive) | Augment | 2x Advanced Electrical Components 3x Processor | Gear Bench 3 |
| Tactical Mk. 3 (Healing) | Augment | 2x Advanced Electrical Components 3x Processor | Gear Bench 3 |
| Yellow Light Stick | Quick Use | 3x Chemicals | Utility Station 1 |
Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.
Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders
Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:
- Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
- Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
- Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
- High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
- Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
- Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
- Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
- Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
- Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.
Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios
Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.
Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .
In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.
Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.
Blueprints obtained from quests
One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.
Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:
- Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
- Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
- Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
- Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.
Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.
One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios
Blueprints obtained from Trials
One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.
Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.
Best Blueprint farming locations
The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios
Dam Battlegrounds
The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.
There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.
Buried City
The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.
Spaceport
The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.
The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios
Blue Gate
Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .
All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.
Stella Montis
On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.
In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.
That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.
While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.
ARC Raiders
PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC
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