If you're sick of spawning in midway through an Arc Raiders game, Flashpoint's made it easier to get into fresh lobbies

It’s so disappointing in Arc Raiders when you load up your backpack for a serious venture topside, only to spawn in when the match is already halfway done – all the best loot spots will have been emptied, and those Raiders who have any sense will have left by that point. It can feel a bit pointless; merely an effort in getting out with your expensive loadout intact.

The new Arc Raiders update, Flashpoint, added quite a lot, with new weapons, Arc threats, and map conditions as the headline features. One important thing that has perhaps flown under the radar, however, is that you’re now more likely to spawn into a fresh map if you have a custom loadout equipped.

It makes sense, at least on the surface of things. Free loadouts are something I use all the time in the multiplayer game, but it’s usually to build up my reserves, or maybe try something risky, and for that, I don’t mind jumping in halfway through a match. With the time dwindling, Raiders are usually sparse, and I can pick my way through the bits nobody else wanted.

When I mean business, though, it’s always better to start on a fresh map. Whether I’m aiming for one of the new Arc Assessors or if I have a keycard I want to put to use, it really dampens the run if there isn’t much time to get where I want, never mind planning on getting out again.

The new change isn’t 100%, and I’ve found that I still spawned in partway through a game even with a custom loadout, but it was most definitely more reliable than before the Flashpoint update, which is great news. Much like the aggression-based matchmaking that the devs hinted at, these are subtle ways to funnel players into what might be their most enjoyable lobbies without a specific queue, and I think that’s great.