ARC Raiders is set in a grim, post-apocalyptic Earth in 2180, where humanity survives in underground bunkers after alien machines called ARCs descended from space to ravage the surface. These relentless robots harvest the planet's resources, leaving the world a barren wasteland. The story begins with "The Collapse," when ARCs overwhelmed global defenses, forcing survivors into fortified cities like Speranza and Toledo beneath the irradiated surface.

Before the ARCs arrived, humanity was already struggling with environmental disasters and resource wars, which led to "The Exodus," a desperate evacuation of elites into space, leaving most people behind. Those who remained entered the "Sunrise Era," a brief period of underground rebuilding, only to be struck by the ARCs' "First Wave." In response, scrappy survivors called Raiders formed, scavenging the surface for supplies and learning to exploit ARC weaknesses like cores and joints. Key battles, such as the Battle of Victory Ridge, gave humanity temporary breathing room but left the land scarred and heroes like Tan's mother fading into legend.

Over the decades, Raiders became a lifeline for underground society, risking surface runs to collect food, fuel, electronics, and ARC parts for crafting. Figures like Celeste, a mission strategist in Speranza, and Shaunies, an intel expert mapping drones and bombers, helped keep communities alive. Yet the isolation bred rivalries, with Raiders turning on each other over loot and territory, making humans as dangerous as the machines. Tools like field deposits and pneumatic tubes allowed safer loot returns, but greed fueled cycles of retribution ignored by underground authorities.

The narrative intensifies with the ARC "Second Wave," a renewed onslaught suggesting off-world ambitions, possibly linked to the elites who escaped during the Exodus. Players take on the role of customizable Raiders, deploying from Speranza through tunnels to explore Rust Belt maps, investigating anomalies like downed Deforesters and mysterious "Blue" factions. Missions uncover lore fragments—codex entries, maps, and audio logs—revealing ARC types such as leaping Leapers, armored Bastions, and explosive Bombardiers, each demanding specific tactics learned from previous encounters.

Key characters provide personal stakes: Lance, an android with fragmented memories hinting at pre-Collapse secrets; surviving Calabrada rebels waging guerrilla war; and barons who once ruled surface enclaves. Environmental storytelling appears in derelict vehicles, storm-exposed caches, and husk graveyards, showing a world where Raiders' hit-and-run tactics define heroism. Rival player encounters mirror these lore conflicts, as competition for loot echoes early Raider turf wars.

The story builds toward climactic revelations around Victory Ridge expeditions and Spaceport mysteries, raising questions about whether ARCs are mere harvesters or part of a larger alien plan. Post-credit teases hint at underground breaches, with Celeste plotting potential escapes as ARC power grows. Theories range from ARCs acting as elite proxies testing humanity to rogue ancient defenses, but the game's lore focuses on tangible struggles—Raiders preserving civilization one risky extraction at a time.

Ultimately, ARC Raiders weaves its extraction gameplay into a broader narrative of defiance and survival, blending sci-fi horror with human grit. It's not a linear story but an emergent epic told through raids, where every scavenged crate and downed ARC contributes to humanity's fragile hope. As the Second Wave looms, players influence the legacy of Victory Ridge fighters, deciding whether Raiders can unite or fall victim to betrayal in the relentless Rust Belt.

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