Perhaps due to a lack of significant new developments regarding the international version, some ARC Raiders players have shifted their attention to the recently launched Chinese version, while others have begun delving into the game's lore. Interestingly, a connection between the two has recently emerged; the publisher of Chinese version revealed several plot-related details in a recent interview, covering topics such as the origins of ARC, the lore behind The Exodus, and more. Was this information revealed inadvertently, or does it serve as a teaser for a larger ARC Raiders initiative? Could it be linked to the potential Frozen Trails update coming in October? We break it all down below. What lore details have sparked speculation? To enhance the experience and immersion, almost every game in the survival genre constructs a post-apocalyptic backstory. Adhering to this convention, ARC Raiders sets its story on a future Earth. Before the apocalypse struck, the planet endured a severe ecological crisis, necessitating a period of massive reconstruction. During this time, vast industrial complexes and spaceports were constructed, yet they failed to halt the planet's environmental decline. Eventually, the wealthy elite evacuated to space aboard alien-tech colony ships, an event known in the game as The Exodus. However, the majority of the population was left behind, forced to survive on dwindling resources. To make matters worse, decades after The Exodus, the mysterious ARC arrived on Earth, launching two successive waves of attacks. The sheer scale of the second ARC offensive overwhelmed humanity, forcing the survivors to retreat underground. You, along with other players forming Raiders, are the courageous and combat-ready warriors among this underground population. You venture to the surface, braving the chaos to scavenge the resources needed to keep the underground world functioning. What did Chinese version interview reveal? While the general narrative arc of ARC Raiders is clear, many details remain shrouded in mystery, such as the true origin of ARC and the ultimate fate of those who fled Earth via The Exodus. Since the game's launch, answers to these questions have been largely speculative. However, a recent interview with the producer of Chinese version touched upon the game's storyline, revealing information that had never been explicitly disclosed on the English official website. The biggest revelation, however, is undoubtedly that the humans who departed via The Exodus ultimately settled in low Earth orbit. Previously, official lore merely stated that they had fled into outer space, without specifying a location. Since low Earth orbit is only a few hundred kilometers from the planet, this suggests that the evacuees were not merely occupied with building new habitats; rather, they likely kept a close watch on Earth all along. Subsequent details from the interview reinforce this theory, noting that the departed humans continuously deployed monitoring and automated production machinery, likely in preparation for an eventual return to Earth. An intriguing piece of supporting evidence is the presence of Scavenging Seed Vault on Stella Montis map, a facility that appears to be a relic of the pre-apocalyptic era. Had the departed humans not intended to return, they would have had no reason to construct a seed vault. After all, much like in the classic story of Noah's Ark, crop seeds are essential for sustaining human civilization. If this hypothesis holds true, ARC units were likely created and deployed by those who leave to monitor Earth's ecosystem and manufacture the resources needed for humanity's eventual return. However, for reasons unknown, the interview mentions that "contact was eventually lost." Consequently, ARC machines came to view the humans remaining on Earth as hostile targets, sparking the conflict that drives every raid you undertake. Raising new questions If the information in the interview is accurate, the core mysteries surrounding ARC Raiders storyline that initially puzzled you are largely resolved. Yet, this raises further questions, specifically, who exactly were the two parties that "lost contact"? There are two primary possibilities. The first is that the departed humans lost contact with those left behind on Earth, resulting in a rift where they were not only physically separated but also ideologically misaligned. This led ARC to classify surface dwellers as enemies. The second possibility is that the migrants lost contact with ARC units themselves. Left to operate without human oversight, the machines continued to function, ultimately executing their "monitoring" mission in completely unexpected ways. These two scenarios would lead ARC Raiders main storyline down vastly different paths, leaving players eager for future game updates to reveal the truth. Based on interviews and speculation, the first theory seems to have more player support. After all, internal human divisions and cooperation are always more compelling than a simple "robot uprising." Furthermore, the humans who left Earth belonged to the wealthy elite; even if they hadn't lost contact with those left behind, the passage of time and the vast distances involved would inevitably create an irreparable rift between the two groups over several generations. Will Frozen Trails reveal more? Back in May, ARC Raiders team announced a shift in their update schedule: following Riven Tides, there would be only two major updates per year. The next one on the horizon is Frozen Trails, set to launch in October. What we know for sure is that this update will bring a wealth of new content, including new zones and ARC enemy types, while also delving into the origins of ARC. When you combine this with the recent interview details, it seems likely that the information shared was intended to build anticipation for Frozen Trails months in advance, keeping players excited and curious about ARC Raiders even during the content lull. In short, ARC Raiders boasts impressive gameplay design and a captivating backstory that leaves plenty of room for the imagination. Even if you've stepped away due to the lack of recent updates, you'll definitely want to return in time for the October launch! If you plan to keep playing ARC Raiders and want to gain an edge over returning players when Frozen Trails drops, not only you should stay up to date on upcoming changes but also buy ARC Raiders items on IGGM if you need! Doing so will help you complete new expeditions to unlock more permanent rewards or bonuses that will give you a head start when Frozen Trails goes live!

The biggest impression left by Torchlight Infinite SS13 Afterlight for veteran players is that the overall pace has slowed down significantly. Once players reach Timemark, the game can start to feel like being stuck in mud. Not only does map-clearing speed decrease, but map rewards also become less rewarding. Timemark stage is actually only considered the mid-game, or even the early-mid game. Because the progression slows down, many players become uncertain about what to do after reaching this point. Simply put, the main goal during this stage is to upgrade your gear and skills, then move into more efficient farming. Timemark 1-6 Timemark 1-6 are essentially the early stages of the endgame. During this period, your main objectives are upgrading equipment, increasing your level, and improving your overall power. You can accumulate resources such as Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium, crafting materials, and Ember during this stage, but gathering these resources is not your primary goal. During Timemark 1-4, you should craft higher-energy gear pieces for the weakest parts of your equipment setup. Energy is the resource used to add more Support Skills to your main skills. The higher your Energy, the more Support Skills you can equip, which directly increases your damage output. You should also check your Auras and make sure you are using 50% Damage Auras. These Auras become available after completing the campaign. During Timemark 5-6, as your level increases, Slot 3 Hero Memories will begin dropping in level 75 areas. Ideally, you should look for Movement Speed affixes, but regardless of which one you obtain, equip it first. This will activate your Final Hero Trait, which usually provides a significant power increase. Timemark 7 For experienced players, T7 is usually only a short transition stage. However, less experienced players, players with limited playtime, or players with lower farming efficiency may remain stuck in T7 for a long time. During T7, the only truly recommended strategy is boss rushing. It is not the most exciting approach, but in Torchlight Infinite SS13, many players are trapped in Timemark 7 because they cannot obtain meaningful upgrades. The nerf to certain Netherrealm Resonance nodes in Torchlight Infinite SS13 had a major impact on T7. Resonance was usually the main method for keeping maps continuously refreshed during this stage. After the drop rate of Resonance rewards was reduced, the cost of Timemark 7 beacons increased while profit margins continued shrinking. As a result, many players struggled to move past this stage. What Can You Do? Although there are not many options available in T7, your goal remains the same: reach T8 difficulty as quickly as possible. Your DPS should aim to reach around 100 million. Tier 2 Crafts In Timemark 7, dropped equipment can be crafted up to Tier 2. You should prioritize crafting your weapon first, followed by other equipment slots. Before entering Timemark 7, you can dismantle all unwanted equipment in your inventory to avoid accidentally crafting on low-level gear. Moving from poor legendary equipment obtained during the campaign to Tier 2 crafted gear creates a massive improvement. Each item can have up to six Mods, including primary attributes and Advanced Affixes, meaning your stats and damage can increase dramatically. Hero Memories Make sure you are using at least Magic Hero Memories and upgrade them whenever possible. Epic Memories can be upgraded to level 30 and provide +1 level to the corresponding Hero Trait. Although they are not mandatory, Hero Memories with strong primary attributes or Life affixes can provide a very noticeable improvement. Make sure you are using the correct affixes and upgrading them. Primary attributes, Life/Energy Shield, and Movement Speed are usually the preferred choices, although the best options may vary depending on your build. Slates Timemark 7 is a good time to obtain some Legendary Slates, as they can provide strong multipliers. Even a Legendary Slate with only one useful Legendary Affix can still offer a significant improvement. Basic Legendary Items You can look for some affordable Legendary Items to gain a temporary power boost. If you are new to the game, you can check what other players are using on the leaderboards or browse Legendary Items in the marketplace. 6-Linked Main Skill Make sure your main skill is already 6-Linked. Increasing the duration and reducing the cooldown of Support Skills such as Curses and Empower Skills will make your damage output feel much smoother. Talent Resets Before level 90, you can reset your talents for free. After reaching level 91, talent resets are no longer free and require Elixir of Oblivion. If you need to adjust your talent setup, complete the changes as early as possible. Timemark 8 After reaching Timemark 8, players finally gain access to more diverse farming strategies. However, many SS13 farming strategies were weakened early in the season, mainly because Gold Compass drops were restricted to Profound difficulty and above. This effectively removed many viable early-season farming options until enough players progressed into Profound difficulty and began supplying Gold Compasses to the wider player base. As a result, farming methods in T8 that rely on Gold Compasses became much less effective. What Can You Do? The progression from Timemark 8 to Profound is a true challenge, and your DPS needs to reach around 10 billion. You will need to invest a large amount of FE into improving your equipment. Pedigree of Gods Pedigree of Gods drops from Traveler 7. The first kill of Traveler 7 and Traveler 8 each guarantees one drop. In most cases, you may not receive an especially strong one, but you can look for any Pedigree of Gods with a useful Core Talent. You can check the marketplace to find a Pedigree of Gods that fits your build. There is no need to chase a perfect version. Even having only one useful effect can already provide a good improvement. Prisms Prisms have different tiers, and the one you should focus on is Ethereal Prism: Haze, which adds additional effects. After placing the Prism into the talent tree, it replaces one talent node. You can use this mechanic to remove an unwanted Micro Talent and make it easier to reach nearby Legendary Talents. If you can clear Timemark 8 and reach Profound, your equipment is already in a very strong state. Although there are still many ways to continue increasing your DPS, further improvements will require a significant amount of time or good luck.