ARC Raiders Secret First-Person Mode: A Janky Glimpse Into a Tactical Death Trap
The Bottom Line: PC players have unearthed a hidden first-person mode in ARC Raiders using console commands. While it offers a more immersive look at Embark Studios’ impressive environments, the feature is currently a broken, unoptimized mess that puts players at a massive tactical disadvantage in the high-stakes extraction meta.
We’ve seen this story before. Back when PUBG was the only name in the battle royale space, the community clamored for first-person servers to level the playing field against "corner-peekers." Now, ARC Raiders players are trying to force that same shift. However, our analysis of the recent findings on the ARC Raiders Reddit confirms that this isn’t a "hidden feature"—it’s a leftover development tool that isn't ready for prime time.
The Technical Reality: High Immersion, Higher Risk
In its current state, forcing a first-person perspective in ARC Raiders feels like playing a pre-alpha build. Since the game was built from the ground up as a third-person experience, the character models simply don't hold up under the scrutiny of a 1:1 camera angle. We’re seeing significant clipping, arms detaching from torsos, and weapon models that take up far too much screen real estate.
Beyond the visual jank, the tactical cost is astronomical. In an extraction shooter where mechanical threats and rival players can flank from 360 degrees, losing that peripheral third-person "halo" view is a death sentence. In our experience, any player attempting to run this in a live PvPvE environment will be easily outplayed by anyone using the standard camera to peek over cover.
3rd-Person vs. Forced 1st-Person Comparison
| Feature | Standard 3rd-Person (Intended) | Hidden 1st-Person (PC Hack) |
|---|---|---|
| Spatial Awareness | High: Easy to spot ARC machines over ridges. | Low: Tunnel vision; vulnerable to flanks. |
| Visual Fidelity | Polished: Smooth animations and scaling. | Broken: Frequent clipping and off-model limbs. |
| Combat Meta | Competitive: Uses cover-peeking effectively. | Disadvantaged: Requires exposing the head to see. |
| Platform Availability | All Platforms | PC Only (Console Commands) |
Why Embark Likely Kept It Locked
Embark Studios has a pedigree for tight, responsive gunplay (many of the team are Battlefield veterans), and they clearly understand that a first-person mode requires more than just a camera offset. It requires entirely new reload animations, weapon positioning, and FOV adjustments. We believe that if Embark ever decides to officially support a first-person mode, it would need to be a separate queue entirely—similar to how DayZ or PUBG handles the split.
Adding an official FPP (First-Person Perspective) mode would satisfy the "hardcore" crowd who wants a more claustrophobic, survival-horror vibe. But for now, using these console commands is nothing more than a novelty for taking screenshots. If you try to run a high-tier loot raid like this, expect to lose your gear to the first player who spots you from behind a rock you couldn't see over.
The Verdict: It’s a cool find for the tinkers, but don't let the "immersion" fool you. Stick to the third-person view if you actually plan on extracting with your loot. ARC Raiders is a game of information, and cutting your field of view in half is a self-inflicted nerf no amount of skill can overcome.