Arc Raiders has always thrived on player-driven conflict, but its newest event flips the script. Instead of fighting each other, the Shared Watch—running from February 10 to February 24—tasks players with uniting against the game’s mechanical antagonists: the Arc machines. Unlike past events, this isn’t just about survival or solo runs; it’s a collective effort to earn Merits, a temporary currency that unlocks rare cosmetics, blueprints, and Raider Tokens.
For those accustomed to the game’s usual competitive chaos, the shift feels deliberate. The developers behind Arc Raiders have framed this as a moment of truce, a rare pause where the focus isn’t on outmaneuvering rivals but on dismantling the game’s most persistent enemies. The catch? Time is running out. To secure the full set of rewards—including the Slugger outfit, a baseball-themed cosmetic that looks more like a discarded lab specimen than a fashion statement—players must accumulate 1,050 Merits (or 105,000 XP) before the event concludes.
But how does one earn these Merits? The answer lies in how the game calculates them. Unlike traditional XP, which rewards all forms of progress, Merits are exclusively tied to damage dealt to Arc machines. Whether it’s a snipe on a Rocketeer from Spaceport’s rooftops or a coordinated takedown of a Bastion during a Night Raid, every hit counts. Even assisting in a kill—without landing the final blow—yields XP that converts into Merits. The larger and tougher the Arc, the higher the payout: a Wasp or Hornet might net 100–200 XP, while a Leaper or Bastion can drop around 500 XP.
The event isn’t a separate mode, either. Players will still drop into standard lobbies, but the game’s matchmaking will prioritize cooperative play. This means friend groups or even solo players can optimize their runs by targeting high-value Arcs. Bird City, for instance, is a hotspot for Snitches, which can be lured into swarms of smaller machines, turning the area into a Merit-farming goldmine. Meanwhile, Trials veterans will find familiar ground in Spaceport, where Rocketeers—already a staple of high-level challenges—become a key resource for grinding.
What awaits those who succeed? A mix of practical and purely cosmetic rewards. The Slugger outfit, the centerpiece of the event, is fully unlocked at just 50 Merits, but the real haul comes later. Players can claim Raider Tokens (up to 150 in total), blueprints for useful items like the Tactical MK3 (Healing) or Vita Spray, and a variety of themed cosmetics—from a baseball backpack charm to Grey Yellow Slugger and Blue Glow Slugger color variants. The final reward, the Batting Helmet Scrappy outfit, requires the full 1,050 Merits, making it the ultimate endgame goal for those who want to show off their event completion.
The event also introduces smaller but useful items like the Snap Hook (a grappling tool) and Hand Signals emote, along with face paint and weapon variants. For players looking to stockpile Raider Tokens, the event offers multiple opportunities: 20 tokens at 100, 350, 550, 650, and 850 Merits, with a bonus 50 tokens at the 1,000-Merit mark.
With the clock ticking, efficiency is key. Teaming up with others to focus on high-value Arcs, leveraging map-specific strategies (like calling down swarms in Bird City), and prioritizing events like Night Raids will be the fastest paths to unlocking everything. And while the Slugger outfit may leave something to be desired in terms of aesthetic, the blueprints and tokens it unlocks along the way make the grind worthwhile—for now.
