Buried City is one of the most rewarding—and dangerous—maps in
ARC Raiders. Featuring the remnants of a once-thriving urban sprawl now lost beneath vast sand dunes, this zone is packed with high-tier loot. To stay ahead of rival raiders and the relentless ARC machine threat, you need to explore every corner, especially the fortified residential complexes.Gaining access to these secret areas often requires special items, and the
Residential Master Key is one of the most valuable keys you can find. This elusive key is your ticket to locked apartment doors across the map, promising excellent gear that can turn the tide of any raid.Since finding keys in
ARC Raiders can be a tricky, randomized affair, this guide will show you exactly where to focus your search for the Residential Master Key and reveal one of the best locations to use it for an instant upgrade.
Arc Raiders: Find Buried City Residential Master Key
Phase 1: The Hunt for the Residential Master Key
Unlike certain fixed-location items, the
Residential Master Key follows a randomized spawn pattern within the Buried City map. This means the hunt requires patience, method, and a willingness to thoroughly sweep high-value structures.
Where to Focus Your Search
The key is typically found within lootable containers—thinkdrawers, cabinets, and small lockboxes—inside specific buildings. Whilethe key can technically spawn anywhere, your best strategy is to targetstructures known for high-tier loot:
- Ruby Residence: This building is a primary loot spot in the Buried City map. Always conduct a thorough, systematic search of every level and room here. Check under desks, inside cabinets, and behind counters.
- Research & Administration Building: If the Ruby Residence comes up empty, shift your focus to the Research& Administration building. This complex is also known to harborhigh-value items, including various keys and rare consumables.
Tips for Effective Key Hunting
- Be Systematic: When entering any structure, don't just look for obvious chests. Check every drawer and cabinet. The Master Key is small and often blends into the environment.
- Loot Consolidation: While searching for the Master Key, you’re likely to find other useful keys and valuable loot. Keep your inventory in check—don't overload yourself with low-tier items and risk becoming overencumbered before you even reach the control tower.
- Prioritize: Make this key hunt one of your first objectives in a Buried City run,as the resulting loot is powerful enough to set you up for the entireextraction.
Phase 2: Unlocking the Vaulted Apartments
As its name suggests, the Residential Master Key is designed to open locked apartment doors across the Buried City map.Using it grants you access to densely packed, untouched loot rooms.
Target Location: Grandioso Apartments
One of the best locations to use your hard-won key is within the Grandioso Apartments complex.
- Navigate to the Area: Head to the Grandioso Apartments, a sprawling residential area.
- Locate the Access Door: Walk around the perimeter of the building until you find a large, wide-open, broken wall section that faces the Santa Maria Houses.
- Find the Locked Door: Just beside this section of the broken wall, you will find a locked apartment door that requires the Residential Master Key for entry.
The High-Value Reward
Unlocking this door grants you access to a safe space filled with multiplecontainers ready for looting. The rewards here are often immediate andsignificant.
- Guaranteed Riches: Inside, you’ll find numerous containers, crates, and drawers to check.
- The Epic Assault Rifle: Within one of these drawers, players have a chance to find the Tempest Epic-tier Assault Rifle.
- The Tempest AR: The Tempest is a fully automatic rifle known for its moderate fire rate and high accuracy, making it a fantastic choice for both mid-range control andclose-quarters 'spray and pray' engagements. Acquiring an Epic-tierweapon this early can drastically improve your loadout and combateffectiveness.
The Single-Use Limitation
A crucial detail to remember about the Residential Master Key is that it is a single-use item.
- One and Done: Once you use the key to open one locked door, it is consumed from your inventory.
- Multiple Doors, Multiple Keys: This means you cannot use the same key to open other locked apartmentdoors in the Buried City. If you want to loot another locked apartment,you must find another Master Key during your current or a future run.
By understanding the randomized nature of the key spawn and prioritizinghigh-loot buildings like the Ruby Residence, you ensure that you canconsistently breach the Buried City’s most rewarding apartment vaultsand walk away with game-changing gear like the powerful Tempest AssaultRifle.
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 PS5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X/S
Genre(s): Third-person shooter
Developer(s): Embark Studios
Publisher(s): Embark Studios
Release date: October 30, 2025
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