Traditional third-person shooters reward speed and aim. Extraction shooters reward restraint, planning, and knowing when not to push further. ARC Raiders sits firmly in the second category, where surviving with information can matter more than winning a fight.
One of the clearest examples is the Buried City Secret Puzzle—a map-wide sequence challenge that can be completed in a single run, but only if nothing interrupts it. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how the puzzle works, how to trigger the secret door, the correct button order, what causes resets, and whether the rewards justify the risk.
Estimated time: 10–15 minutes under ideal conditions.
Before you start:
This puzzle punishes hesitation. If you’re short on resources after failed attempts—or don’t want to risk running it under-geared having extra coins beforehand makes the run far less stressful. You can prep here before committing to the sequence
Related Guides:
- Arc Raiders Expedition Tips Guide
- Arc Raiders Best Maps And Player Experience
- Arc Raiders Skins in 2026
What Is the Buried City Secret Puzzle in ARC Raiders?
The Buried City Secret Puzzle in ARC Raiders is a 15-step button sequence spread across the Buried City map that resets if any step is performed out of order and unlocks a hidden loot room once completed correctly.
Unlike standard objectives, this puzzle:
- Requires movement across multiple named locations
- Can be reset by any player in the session
- Has no checkpoint or partial completion state
It’s less about execution skill and more about map awareness, timing, and interference management.
How to Trigger the Buried City Secret Door
The secret door cannot be opened directly. It only responds after the full sequence is completed correctly, in a single uninterrupted chain.
What triggers the door?
The door is triggered by pressing 15 specific buttons across the map in the exact order indicated by musical notes found in a separate room.
Here’s how players usually recognize they’ve found the puzzle:
- A sealed door that does not respond to interaction
- A nearby room containing 15 musical notes
- Buttons scattered throughout Buried City that correspond to those notes
The notes define the order. The buttons execute it.
What Is the Correct Button Sequence?
The button sequence is fixed and must be completed in strict order, from Button 1 through Button 15, without interruption.
Each button is located in a specific landmark. Missing, skipping, or reversing even one step resets progress immediately.
The table below shows:
- The correct order
- The exact location name
- A brief area description to help orient during movement
Button Sequence & Location Table
| Button Number | Location | Area Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plaza Rosa Attic | Upper attic space |
| 2 | Galleria | Lower level |
| 3 | Warehouse Rooftop | Rear side |
| 4 | Marano Park Shop | Interior shop area |
| 5 | Grandioso Apartments | South building, top floor |
| 6 | Piazza Arbusto Tower | Tower structure |
| 7 | Library Bus | Bus near library |
| 8 | Town Hall Adjacent Building | Nearby structure |
| 9 | Buried Properties | Raider Depot South |
| 10 | Hospital Stairwell | Interior stairs |
| 11 | Collapsed Bridge Structure | Broken bridge area |
| 12 | Church Ruins | Central ruins |
| 13 | Santa Maria Attic | Attic level |
| 14 | Piazza Roma Tower | Tower structure |
| 15 | Building Near the Red Tower | Final button |
How to use this during live gameplay:
Treat the table as a route blueprint, not a checklist. You’re minimizing backtracking and exposure, not racing blindly between markers.
What Happens If the Sequence Is Broken?
If the sequence is broken at any point, progress resets completely back to Button 1.
This reset can occur if:
- A button is pressed out of order
- The wrong button is pressed
- Another player interacts with a button incorrectly
- The sequence stalls long enough to desync
There is no visual countdown, but experienced players often notice the reset through the lack of expected feedback or by realizing the next button no longer responds as expected.
Multiplayer Risks and Tactical Considerations
Because this puzzle exists in a shared extraction space, success depends as much on other players as on your own execution.
PvP interference risks
- Other players can reset the puzzle unintentionally
- Firefights near button locations increase delay risk
- Later buttons tend to draw more attention as players converge
Tactical advice
- Mentally group buttons by proximity to reduce hesitation
- Early buttons are usually safer; mid-sequence is where most resets occur
- If a reset happens past the halfway point, reassess whether recommitting is worth the exposure
- Survival always takes priority over completion—abandoning the attempt is sometimes the correct play
Luck matters, but preparation determines whether luck can help you.
Rewards for Completing the Buried City Secret Puzzle
Completing the full sequence unlocks the secret door and triggers a visible fireworks display, signaling that the room is now accessible.
Inside, you’ll find:
- Guitars
- Recorders
- Shakers
- Additional loot tied to the event
Is it worth it?
The rewards are solid, but the real cost is attention. Fireworks can draw players, and entering immediately isn’t always optimal. In some cases, waiting briefly or approaching cautiously reduces the risk of losing everything on exit.
Long-Term Notes and System Behavior
This puzzle functions as a repeatable system, not a one-time secret. The button order and locations remain consistent, but outcomes vary depending on player behavior and match flow.
If future updates adjust feedback cues or reset sensitivity, the core logic—ordered inputs across the map with shared-state risk—is unlikely to change.
Approach it the same way every time:
- Read the map
- Respect the timing
- Commit only when conditions allow
That mindset opens the door more often than speed alone.