Arc Raiders Map Wishlist: 10 Fan-Made Map Concepts the Game Needs in 2026

Why Arc Raiders needs your map ideas right now

Feeling stuck on the same five locales after 100+ hours? You’re not alone. As Arc Raiders gears up for “multiple maps” in 2026, fans are hungry for fresh arenas that push teamplay, variety, and long-term replayability. The problem players face is simple: new maps from the studio are exciting, but community-driven concepts can speed iteration, surface unexpected tactical loops, and keep the game from growing stale. This fan-design roundup gives Embark—and the Arc Raiders community—10 actionable map concepts with sketches, clear objectives, and gameplay loops engineered around the game's mechanics and 2026 trends like AI-assisted balancing, seasonal live-service design, and tighter crossplay metas.

Context: What changed in 2026 and why it matters for maps

Embark Studios confirmed multiple maps are coming in 2026. Design lead Virgil Watkins said the slate will include smaller and grander arenas to support different playstyles.

"There are going to be multiple maps coming this year... across a spectrum of size to try to facilitate different types of gameplay." — Virgil Watkins (GamesRadar, 2026)

2026 trends that shape how these maps should be designed:

• AI-assisted balancing: Real-time telemetry and ML can tune spawn rates, loot, and difficulty dynamically.
• Procedural & hybrid spaces: Static bones with procedural minor variations increase replayability without breaking designed chokepoints.
• Community submissions: Studios are increasingly opening feedback pipelines, and fan maps can become official if they match performance and fairness standards.
• Esports and co-op clarity: Maps need clear sightlines and objective timing to support competitive or leader-board-driven runs.

How to read these map proposals

Each map below includes a compact sketch (text layout), the primary and secondary objectives, the core gameplay loop, recommended enemy types and pacing, and practical notes for balancing and community submissions. Use them as templates for your own fan maps, forum posts, or mockups to send to Embark.

10 fan-made Arc Raiders map concepts the game needs in 2026

1) Skyrail Docks — Vertical assault with moving traversal

Sketch (top-down text):

    [Ground Yard] === (Skyrail) === [Platform A]
           |                          |
        [Crane] --- (Skyrail hub) --- [Platform B]
           |                          |
       [Dock Entrance] --- [Cargo Hold & Elevator]
  

Primary objective: Secure and escort a moving cargo drone across the skyrail to the extraction node.

Secondary objective: Hack crane controls for temporary cover or open cargo holds for extra loot.

Core loop: Dynamic escort + contested traversal—teams rotate between defending the drone, clearing skyrail platforms, and using vertical mobility to flank enemies. The moving objective forces shifting engagements.

Why it fits Arc Raiders: Emphasizes the game's traversal and class synergy: a mobility-focused Raider keeps the drone alive while heavy-support anchors chokepoints.

Balance notes: Limit skyrail paths to 2–3 to prevent total map fragmentation. Use AI-assisted adjustments to speed and damage based on average team DPS.

2) Subterranean Grid — Tight corridors & sabotage mechanics

Sketch (compartmental):

    [Access Shaft]
       |
    [Control Hub]--[Power Conduits]--[Secure Vault]
       |              |
    [Maintenance Tunnels]--[Flooded Chamber]
  

Primary objective: Plant EMP charges at three conduit nodes to shut down a vault’s shields.

Secondary objective: Trigger localized floods to create temporary cover or bottlenecks.

Core loop: Stealthy approach to objectives followed by high-intensity defense waves when an EMP is triggered. Encourages coordination between scouting, crowd control, and objective runners.

Mechanics tie-in: Works well with classes that deploy drones or cloaking. Subterranean acoustics can be an in-game clue system: sound propagation changes when floods trigger.

3) Aurora Observatory — Long-range sightlines & weather hazards

Sketch:

    [Outer Approach]--[Observation Deck]----[Central Dome]
                    \                  /
                     [Glass Walkway & Plunge Shafts]
  

Primary objective: Recalibrate a damaged lidar array by powering three antennae under timed windows.

Secondary objective: Deploy temporary shielding during aurora storms to preserve calibration.

Core loop: Alternating long-range skirmishes and short objective sprints. Weather cycles (auroras) create temporary EMP bursts that disable certain abilities, encouraging adaptive loadouts.

2026 trend leverage: Environmental modifiers that rotate each match—AI telemetry can change aurora frequency to avoid stale patterns.

4) Market Maze — Dense PvP-style corridors for skirmishes

Sketch:

    [Main Plaza]
     /  |   \ 
  [Stalls]-[Alley]-[Warehouse]
     \       /
    [Undercroft Tunnel]
  

Primary objective: Extract high-value artifacts dropped by enemies while vintage stalls provide temporary buffs.

Secondary objective: Secure vendor terminals to gain passive team-wide perks such as faster recharge or increased EMP resistance for a short window.

Core loop: Rapid, repeated skirmishes in tight quarters. Rewards aggressive play and map control; good for competitive weekly modes.

Balance: Ensure spawn protection and multiple flank routes; use minor procedural variations in stall layout for freshness.

5) Glacier Shipyard — Sliding ice and collapsing platforms

Sketch:

    [Frozen Bay] == [Ship Graveyard]
         |               |
    [Rising Platform]--[Engine Room (warm core)]
  

Primary objective: Stabilize three engine cores to power a lift before the tide locks the shipyard.

Secondary objective: Break ice barriers to open shortcuts; risks exposing players to cold status and slowed movement.

Core loop: Time pressure + environmental hazards. The map rewards thermal management and area denial while creating dramatic last-minute rushes typical of Arc Raiders’ risks/rewards gameplay.

6) Urban Rupture — Mixed indoor/outdoor with rooftop ziplines

Sketch:

    [Street Level]--[Atrium]--[Rooftop Plaza]
                   |           |
               [Basements]  [Zipline Network]
  

Primary objective: Capture three data nodes and hold each for a countdown to upload.

Secondary objective: Activate ziplines to reposition quickly; ziplines can be disabled temporarily by enemy turrets.

Core loop: Tug-of-war control points that force teams to split and rotate. Ziplines add high-speed verticality and risk/reward plays for scouts and snipers.

7) Neon Factory — Conveyor-fueled dynamic layout

Sketch:

    [Entrance]--[Assembly Lines]--[Quality Control]
                    ||||||||||
                 [Conveyor Belts shift lanes]
  

Primary objective: Steal prototype cores from the assembly line and deliver them to secure crates without letting them be destroyed.

Secondary objective: Toggle assembly line speed to hamper enemy movement or create temporary cover via shifting crates.

Core loop: Dynamic map geometry where the environment itself becomes an ally or an enemy. Good for players who enjoy manipulating the battlefield.

8) Crater Outpost — Large open field with mobile objectives

Sketch:

    [Landing Zone]
        |     \
    [Turret Ridge]  [Mobile Quarry]
        \     /
      [Extraction Node]
  

Primary objective: Capture and tow a mobile quarry to the extraction node; quarry becomes a temporary outpost with turrets.

Secondary objective: Call orbital caches that drop weapon upgrades at randomized intervals.

Core loop: Open-field tactics mixed with mobile fortification. Encourages vehicle-like movement strategies and area control while keeping fights dynamic.

9) Archive of Echoes — Puzzle-forward map with memory echoes

Sketch:

    [Atrium]--[Records Hall]--[Echo Vault]
                 |                |
             [Mirror Rooms]----[Signal Relay]
  

Primary objective: Decode three memory echoes to reconstruct a master key for the vault.

Secondary objective: Use echoes to spawn decoy holograms that distract enemies or provide tactical information.

Core loop: Mix of PvE combat and light environmental puzzles. Appeals to players who like latch-key objectives and scanning mechanics.

Note: Puzzle difficulty should scale with team level and use telemetry to reduce frustration.

10) Orbital Relay — Small, high-risk micro-map for 3–5 players

Sketch:

    [Dock]--[Control Node]--[Module Bay]
            |                 |
        [Airlock]--[External Walkway]
  

Primary objective: Bring module cores online and survive a wave-driven defense until extraction arrives.

Secondary objective: Secure temporary oxygen vents to prevent outer walkway debuffs.

Core loop: Quick, intense runs designed for tight team coordination. Perfect for weekly challenge modes or esports qualifiers.

2026 consideration: Smaller maps like this align with Embark’s promise of “smaller than current” arenas to support different gameplay rhythms.

Prototyping tips: turn a sketch into a playable fan map

Turning a concept into a submission-ready mockup doesn't require a full modding toolchain. Follow this rapid-prototype checklist used by designers creating playable fan maps for pitch:

1. Sketch the flow: Start with top-down paper sketches showing objectives, spawn points, and alternate routes.
2. Define chokepoints and sightlines: Mark three primary engagement areas and intended combat ranges for each.
3. List interactables: Identify doors, ziplines, environmental hazards, and objective timers.
4. Balance by roles: For each engagement area, write which Raider roles (e.g., support, flanker, heavy) gain advantage and why.
5. Create a one-page playbook: Summarize spawn rhythms, objective timers, and recommended team comps.
6. Make a quick digital mockup: Use free tools like Tiled, Figma, or Unity Prototypes to roughly map scale. Label distances in meters or steps for consistency.
7. Run 5-10 playtests: Get teams to run the mock map, logging times to objectives, difficulty spikes, and corner-case exploits.

Playtesting checklist — what to log

• Average time to first objective (target: 60–120 seconds for mid-size maps)
• Number of flank opportunities per objective
• Respawn camping frequency and fixes
• Telemetry-based fun metrics: engagement density (players per encounter), downtime ratio, objective idle time
• Player feedback on clarity—are objectives intuitive without UI prompts?

How to format community submissions for Embark and community hubs

Make submissions easy to parse. Use a consistent template so designers can quickly evaluate your idea.

• Title + short pitch: One sentence that sells the core loop.
• Sketch image or ASCII map: Top-down layout with scale and spawn points.
• Objectives: Primary + secondary with timers and win conditions.
• Role balance notes: Where each class shines and where counters exist.
• Playtesting data: At least two test runs with timings and 3 player quotes.
• Optional attachments: Figma mockups, short video walk-through (60–90s), or Unity prototype zip.

Case studies: community maps that became canon in other games

Use these case studies as evidence of how strong community submissions can influence developers:

• Counter-Strike: de_dust2 originated from community mapping and became a cornerstone competitive map through repeated community play and iteration.
• Halo Forge: Fan maps and modes helped Microsoft refine custom tools and incorporate popular modes into official playlists.
• Fortnite Creative: Rapid prototyping and community-driven modes feed into seasonal features and events that attract sustained players.

These examples show that well-presented, playtested designs with clear data can catch a developer's eye—and in 2026, studios increasingly monitor community telemetry and submission channels.

Advanced strategies for map designers in 2026

Designers who want their concepts to stand out should leverage these advanced techniques:

• AI-assisted difficulty curves: Provide suggested telemetry triggers and thresholds (e.g., if average team DPS > X, increase enemy spawn rate or shield strength).
• Hybrid procedural layers: Propose a static skeleton with several procedural overlay options to keep games fresh while preserving designed balance.
• Seasonal hooks: Design maps with built-in toggles for seasonal events—example: a shipyard that floods only during winter seasons to match broader live-service narratives.
• Accessibility-first design: Include alternative objective markers and reduced visual clutter modes so high-contrast options or HUD minimalists can enjoy the map.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Over-scripting: Too many moving parts can break balance. Keep a 70/30 rule: 70% predictable design, 30% dynamic elements.
• Unclear win conditions: If players can’t tell why they won or lost after a run, iterate timers and UI cues until the feedback loop is clear.
• Favoring one class: Avoid single-role dominance by ensuring each objective has counterplay and multiple viable approaches.

Actionable takeaways

• Start your map pitch with a one-sentence hook that explains the core gameplay loop. Start your map pitch with clarity.
• Keep sketches simple: top-down layout, spawns, chokepoints, and objectives are enough to get traction.
• Playtest early and often; include objective time metrics and at least two distinct playtest reports in your submission.
• Leverage 2026 trends: propose AI-assist thresholds, procedural overlays, and seasonal toggles to increase the studio’s appetite for your map.
• Format your submission for quick review: pitch, sketch, objectives, role-balance notes, and playtest data. Make submissions easy to parse.

Final thoughts — why player ideas matter for Arc Raiders’ longevity

Arc Raiders’ 2026 roadmap promises map variety, but community-sourced concepts are a force multiplier. They diversify play, expose new metas, and create a stronger feedback loop between players and developers. Stadium-sized or micro-arena, what matters is that maps keep rewarding team coordination, tactical improvisation, and the thrill of clutch moments—the core feelings that make Arc Raiders sticky.

Call to action

Got a fan map sketch you want to share? Post it on our community submission thread with the one-page playbook and playtest data. We'll curate the best pitches and run a monthly vote to spotlight top entries to Embark and our editorial coverage. Tag your submission with: fan maps, Arc Raiders wishlist, map concepts, player ideas, map sketches.

Ready to get started? Upload your sketch, run three playtests, and submit a 60-second walkthrough video. We’ll feature promising concepts in our next editorial roundup and provide free feedback from level-design pros to sharpen your pitch.

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