The Maw: what’s new in PC games this week?

Black Myth: Wukong, Concord and Tactical Breach Wizards are the bigguns

Image credit:Internet Archive Book Images

New week, same old terror of that cyclopean glutton known as the Maw emerging from its cosmic bolthole and swallowing the entirety of Devon. As ever, we have a way of thwarting the Maw’s advance, and it’s… pasta sauce? Graham, why is there pasta sauce in the Trello? Have Ziff Davis subfranchised us to Dolmio? Oh, I’m sorry! That’s just my shopping list. What I meant to say was: new video games! Video games (PC games, specifically) are the only thing that can preoccupy the Maw, the only thing newsworthy enough to distract it from the tempting clifftop maisonettes of Torquay. Let’s see what the week has in store for us, eh.

Monday 19th August is a quieter one, but my eye is drawn to the early access launch of Cybercorp , a top-down looter-shooter that might amuse fans of The Ascent. Tuesday 20th August is Black Myth Wukong Day, but you might also be keen on misfit words-are-weapons roadtrip Dustborn . On Wednesday 21st August, a balance of the airily winsome, the sorrowfully puzzling and the seductively monstrous in the shape of Mika And The Witch’s Mountain , Sunset Hills and My Lovely Empress . On Thursday 22nd August, it’s all about spells of defenestration in Tactical Breach Wizards . And on Friday 23rd August, it’s all about heroes shooting heroes in Sony’s Concord .

Our live coverage of this event has finished.

• 13:19 pm 08/26/2024 FISH TANK HOLIDAY MONDAY
• 08:07 am 08/23/2024 FRYDAY
• 08:12 am 08/22/2024 LASIOGNATHUS AMPHIRHAMPHURSDAY
• 08:14 am 08/21/2024 ANENOMEDNESDAY
• 08:01 am 08/20/2024 BLUE FIN TUESDAY
• 07:52 am 08/19/2024 SALMONDAY

SALMONDAY

I snuck in early and wrote up a quick piece on why oh why Bloober aren’t remaking Silent Hill 1 before remaking Silent Hill 2 .

Forbes and VideoGamesSI report that Black Myth: Wukong co-publishers Hero Games sent streamers a mail with some “Do’s & Dont’s”, asking them not to include “feminist propaganda”, discussion of the Chinese government or “trigger words” such as “Covid-19”. Hoo boy. The document isn’t an NDA and we haven’t received anything like that ourselves.

A new story trailer for Silent Hill 2’s remake. I should have a full preview of that up later today.

Star Wars Outlaws has a new PC trailer with some settings bits in it, plus some PC specs info here .

“Liminalcore” is a term now, apparently, and it comes with ballpits.

Yesterday’s Dual Blades showcase marks all 14 of Monster Hunter Wilds’ weapons now having previews on the game’s official channel. I am once again reminding you that ranged weapons are for traitors and cowards.

The final Dead Cells update is out.

Activision sent a cease and desist order to the makers of the H2M because they didn’t want it messing with Black Ops 6 sales , reckons the mod’s maker

Here’s a new trailer for the Commandos Origins reboot.

BLUE FIN TUESDAY

If you miss Skies Of Arcadia, you might like the vibe of Sky Oceans: Wings For Hire, out 10th October on Steam, EGS and GOG.

Pearl Abyss’s open world action-adventure Crimson Desert seems a bit Witchery. Here’s a new video of a boss battle.

If it seems quiet on RPS right now, that’s because we’re all lying in trenches wearing ultraviolet goggles, waiting for the Gamescom Opening Night Live stream at 7pm UK, 8pm CET, 11am PT and 2pm ET. Here’s the embed. Beware the Coming of News.

ANENOMEDNESDAY

A PC version of Stellar Blade is coming “in the near future”, according to a Shift Up financial report passed on by Genki_JPN (and machine translation). The devs have yet to formally announce it, however.

Tribe Nine is a free-to-play cyberpunky party-based RPG from some of the people behind Danganronpa. It’s got a mix of 3D and sprite-based graphics, and seems quite swanky- but ware ye, ware ye the prospect of in-game purchases.

Looking For Fael is about being stuck in an infinite maze of flats, but on the upside, you do get a Game Boy Advance SP.

Missed this one last night. Supermassive’s Little Nightmares 3 got another trailer. The new custodians of the series are going in a co-op direction with this one.

Oh hey, a piratey CRPG! I’m sure there are others but I’m struggling to think of one. I suppose Deadfire was reasonably piratey. Yar!

Cupiclaw looks neat .

LASIOGNATHUS AMPHIRHAMPHURSDAY

If I was to live a thousand years, I still would not have predicted a Mars Attacks themepark manager called Mars Attracts. And yet…

Here’s a new trailer for The Stone Of Madness from The Blasphemous devs - a real-time tactical stealth game set in a 16th century Jesuit monastery. “Five prisoners - plagued by cruel punishment, madness, and despair - pool their skills and resources to face their phobias, stave off insanity, uncover the mysteries of the Monastery, and find a way to escape.” Yes please. It’s now being published by Tripwire.

A new trailer for “creepypasta-inspired co-op anomaly-hunting game” Phantom Line.

FRYDAY

The Callisto Protocol series is back as roguelike [REDACTED] . Yes, that’s what they’re calling it.

Squirrel With A Gun got a new release trailer. I’m rooting for it, but I have my doubts .

Journey To A Savage Planet hath spawned a sequel, Revenge Of The Savage Planet. Is this one of those “mountain coming to Muhammad” scenarios? World Reveal Trailer | Revenge of the Savage Planet Official | GamesCom Watch on YouTube

Somebody’s making an open world medieval zombie survival game called God Save Birmingham . Anybody here from Birmingham?

Here’s an extended gameplay look at classic survival horror homage Tormented Souls 2.

FISH TANK HOLIDAY MONDAY

Rock Paper Shotgun is better when you sign in

Sign in and join us on our journey to discover strange and compelling PC games.

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

Rock Paper Shotgun is better when you sign in

Sign in and join us on our journey to discover strange and compelling PC games.