ARC Raiders Players Shouldn't Sleep On the New Scrappy Update

ARC Raiders developer Embark Studios has made some major improvements to Scrappy the rooster in the game’s new Flashpoint update, and the community is now discovering why the changes are an absolute game-changer. Following the launch of ARC Raiders in October last year, Scrappy quickly became a staple among the game’s playerbase. Now, in a major new content update released on March 31, Scrappy has become even more powerful.

To some, Scrappy is just a material-collecting rooster. To others, he’s the heart and soul of ARC Raiders. Shortly after Embark released its hit extraction shooter, the studio saw all of the love for Scrappy and revealed some new lore on the beloved ARC Raiders character. According to a 3D artist at Embark, Scrappy came to life when a flock of chickens crashed the developer’s Zoom meeting. Among the flock of birds was Hakan, a rooster that would eventually go on to become the inspiration for Scrappy. Hakan was sneakily photoscanned into the game by developer Johan, and when Embark realised they needed an in-game resource producer, it was his time to shine. Scrappy was then born, and the rest, as they say, is history.

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Scrappy Can Now Gather Matriarch Reactors for Players

Raid after raid, players can always count on Scrappy to gather basic materials such as cloth, metal parts, rubber parts, and more. The rooster is essentially the perfect way to keep stocked up on the essentials. ARC Raiders players can even upgrade Scrappy to increase the amount of loot Scrappy locates between raids. Now the resource gathering rooster has even more functionality, as a March 31 update made some big changes to Scrappy, as players can now feed him to receive more items. The type of loot that Scrappy will scavenge for players all depends on the type of food he is given. Olives, for example, will result in the chance of Scrappy awarding Medical Lab materials or equipment, while Mushrooms have a chance of getting Gear Bench materials or equipment.

It might not be much, but it’s a handy way to get some extra loot without doing much. However, some players are now beginning to realise that this Scrappy update might be more lucrative than they once thought. One user recently took to the ARC Raiders subreddit to reveal that they were given a Matriarch Reactor by Scrappy when he was fed Fruit Mix. This is one of the most difficult items to obtain, as it requires players to take down the Matriarch. Or, at least one of her legs, anyway. Another player then chimed in with a screenshot of Scrappy awarding them with a Queen Reactor. Again, this is an item that is usually only obtainable by taking on the Queen.

Scrappy may finally have more of a purpose, but these weren’t the only big changes included in ARC Raiders‘ Flashpoint update. Not only have Shredders now left the confines of Stella Montis, but Embark has also added two new weapons to the game: the Canto, a submachine gun that uses medium ammo to keep ARC at an arm’s length, and the Dolabra, a powerful energy shotgun with a variable focus allowing players to fire off a wide burst or a focused funnel of electricity. The update also adds a new map condition to the game, known as Close Scrutiny. While there’s less loot value during the event, the new ARC Assessor is filled with some lucrative ARC-related gear inside.

Getting to the aforementioned ARC Assessor, however, is no easy task. Not only is it surrounded by the usual Wasps, Hornets, and Rocketeers, but the Assessor is also guarded by ARC Raiders‘ newest enemy, the Vaporizer. This new flying ARC type has quickly become one of the deadliest enemies in the game due to its devastating laser attacks and idiosyncratic attack patterns. For those heading into the new Close Scrutiny event, it’s recommended to go in with plenty of Lure Grenades, Smoke Grenades, and a Photoelectric Cloak, or risk being taken out by the Vaporizer.