Blueprints are essential in Arc Raiders for crafting more powerful weapons and equipment. Now players are starting to trade them, even though there is no official in-game marketplace.
Embark’s new extraction shooter Arc Raiders does offer an in-game store, but it is limited to cosmetic content. There are no monetary gameplay advantages to be bought here – at least not officially.
As is often the case with multiplayer titles, there are still enough players who are willing to pay cash to get ahead in battle. And where there’s a will, there’s always a way. In Arc Raiders, this is evident in a blueprint and item black market that is currently flourishing online.
Blueprints are essential in Arc Raiders for crafting powerful weapons and equipment, which are especially needed for hunting larger Arc enemies. However, these blueprints are rare, and it can take many unsuccessful rounds before you find the one you want.
Business-savvy players have recognized a gap in the market here and set up their own online black market for items. As reported by our colleagues at Gamingbolt and GamesRadar, numerous items and weapon blueprints for Arc Raiders are already listed on the Gameflip shop page – some at astonishing prices.
The trade works as follows: the buyer and seller meet in the game and, after receiving payment, the seller drops the item on the ground. The buyer must then quickly pack the item into their security slot and extract it from the round. Please note that no liability is accepted for lost items.
One of the sellers writes, for example: We do not accompany you to the extraction point and accept no responsibility for lost items if you forget to pack them in the safety bag before your death.
With a purchase price of around €26.50, this can quickly become annoying.
A another listing offers a Wolfpack grenade, a Jupiter, and an Equalizer for around €31, the perfect trio of weapons for hunting down the infamous Arc Queen. Those who need individual items for crafting will also find what they are looking for on the Gameflip black market: 15 pieces of Arc Alloy are currently available for around 3 euros.
The item black market in Arc Raiders is just the latest example in a long line of player-driven marketplaces outside the official boundaries of the game. Rare items are also traded online for real money in Roblox and Rocket League. And even in the supposedly completely non-competitive social sim Animal Crossing, there was item trading via platforms such as Nookazon and corresponding Discord servers.
What do you think of the item black market in Arc Raiders? Would you buy weapon parts and blueprints on external shop sites? How much would you be willing to pay for them? Let us know in the comments!
