Arc Raiders
A cooperative third-person shooter set in a sci-fi world where players must scavenge, fight, and survive against a mechanical threat from space.
A cooperative third-person shooter set in a sci-fi world where players must scavenge, fight, and survive against a mechanical threat from space.
Door Glitch
The Door Glitch is one of the most infamous exploits in ARC Raiders, allowing players to bypass locked doors and access restricted rooms without keycards. This collision-based exploit has gone through multiple iterations as developers attempt to patch it.
What is the Door Glitch?
The Door Glitch exploits how ARC Raiders handles deployable objects and player physics. By abusing collision detection with Barricade Kits, players can push their character through locked doors that would normally require keycards to access.
Behind these locked doors lie some of the game's best loot: purple-tier equipment, rare crafting materials, blueprints, and quest items. Combined with nighttime raids (which spawn double loot), skilled exploiters can accumulate tens of thousands of coins per run.
How It Works
At its core, this is a collision bug. When you place a Barricade Kit near a door while moving, the game struggles to decide where your character should stand. This creates a brief moment where you can slip through the collision boundary and phase into the locked room.
The technique exploits the fact that door frames and wall seams don't always line up perfectly. When the barricade's collision overlaps with the door's collision, you can squeeze through.
Methods
Original Co-op Method (Patched)
The original door glitch required two players:
- Position yourself at the door edge, near the key terminal
- Sprint toward the gap between door and terminal
- Your teammate continuously jumps at your back to push you into the door
- Once through, interact with the terminal from inside to let your teammate enter
Warning: This method was patched in Update 1.4.0. Attempting it now results in instant death by fire - the developers added flamethrowers to locked rooms as a countermeasure!
Solo Barricade Method (Current)
The current working method can be done solo:
- Position: Stand at the locked gate facing it
- Aim: Place the barricade right in front of the doorframe
- Deploy & Sprint: Hold the deploy button to start placing the barricade. While it's still mid-animation, sprint forward
- Phase Through: Slip between the forming barricade and the gate
- Loot: Search the restricted room freely
Pro Tips:
- Bring 2 Barricade Kits: one to glitch in, one to glitch out
- Crouching may improve success rates
- Dismantle the barricade to reclaim the kit if unsuccessful
- Multiple attempts may be necessary - don't give up!
Requirements
- 1-2 Barricade Kits (minimum)
- Access to a locked door requiring a keycard
- Patience for timing
Known Door Locations
Here are 18+ doors confirmed to work with this glitch:
| Location | Map |
|---|---|
| Dam Control Tower | The Dam |
| Staff Room | The Dam |
| Testing Annex (2 doors) | Blue Gate |
| Water Treatment Control | Blue Gate |
| Power Generation Complex | Spaceport |
| Town Hall | Stella Montis |
| Near Plaza Rosa | Stella Montis |
| Hospital | Stella Montis |
| Space Travel | Spaceport |
| Spaceport Control Tower A6 | Spaceport |
| North Trench Tower | The Dam |
| South Trench Tower | The Dam |
| Shipping Warehouse | Blue Gate |
| Communication Tower | Pilgrims Peak |
| Lobby | Various |
| Cultural Archives | Stella Montis |
For interactive maps showing all locked door locations, visit MetaForge.
Patch History
The developers have been playing cat and mouse with this exploit:
| Update | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2.0 | Early Nov 2025 | First attempted patch (workaround discovered immediately) |
| 1.3.0 | Nov 20, 2025 | "Barricades can no longer be placed overlapping your character" |
| 1.4.0 | Late Nov 2025 | Added flamethrowers to locked rooms ("exploit mitigation mechanisms") |
Despite multiple patches, players continue to find new methods. The barricade placement restrictions have made the "sweet spot" smaller but not impossible.
Community Reaction
The community has had some fun with the developers' creative solution:
Risks & Warnings
Use at your own risk! Here's what you should know:
- Embark Studios actively monitors this exploit
- Server-side logging tracks unauthorized access to locked rooms
- Content creators who tested it publicly faced community backlash
- Risk of account resets or bans
- The exploit leaves "a permanent footprint in server data"
The community generally discourages using this glitch in competitive scenarios, as it breaks intended game mechanics and disrupts the economy.
Video Tutorials
Basic Door Glitch Tutorial
Post-Patch Method
Comprehensive 18+ Doors Guide
See Also
- MetaForge Interactive Map - Shows all locked door locations