The raid clock hit ninety seconds and alarms flared down the corridor. I had the fuel cell tucked under my arm while three strangers barked button calls into voice. You knew, right then, whether you would leave with loot or a restart.
I’ve watched teams stall at the door — How to complete Controlled Access Zone Puzzle in ARC Raiders
I’ll keep this direct: the Controlled Access Zone arrived with the Shrouded Sky update and it’s a named POI south of the Power Generation Complex. Open your map and you’ll see the label; the location is never hidden, just contested.
Where is the Controlled Access Zone located?
South of Power Generation Complex, labeled on the in-game map. On PC (Steam/Epic), PlayStation, and Xbox it appears the same — a quick ping on the map saves time and prevents accidental runs through contested streets.
In every raid someone grabs the wrong loot — Find a fuel cell
The fuel cell is always on the bottom floor of the POI, usually tucked near the base of the stairs or close to a wall corner. Its exact spawn point cycles, but the floor never changes.
Carry the cell up the stairs to the generator at the top. Insert it into the terminal and the first button spawns in that same room. The fuel cell is a keycard beating like a heart — get it moving and the puzzle starts to breathe.
How many players do I need to press the buttons?
Four. This puzzle insists on four people pressing four separate buttons at the same time. You cannot solo it, and a trio won’t cut it either. That requirement flips many raids into fragile negotiations with whoever else is on the map.
At least one team panics at the buttons — Interact with the buttons
There are four buttons total. One is guaranteed to spawn next to the generator at the top of the stairs; the other three appear in randomized locations around the POI. Visual cues and map pings will save you clock time.
All four buttons must be pressed simultaneously and in the right window; if one button is hit out of sequence, the attempt fails and the team must restart. The buttons are a choir that must sing in perfect sync — timing is the resource you have to guard.
Practical tips: mark locations with the in-game ping, assign one person to call “ready” and a synchronized countdown, or trade voice for emotes if you can’t trust comms. Expect to negotiate with rival raiders — alliances are temporary, but rewards are real.
When the sequence succeeds a door opens to the loot room. Inside you must submit 12 Metal Parts and one Industrial Battery to repair the panel and claim access. Those parts can be scrounged during the raid or carried in by someone who prefers a planned run.
Inside the room are multiple containers and a chance at high-tier rewards; a Mythic Blueprint has already been reported by players. The puzzle can be repeated by restarting a fresh round and running the same routine.
If you’re planning a run, what will you trade to persuade strangers to press buttons in sync with you?