ARC Raiders Movie Night Quest – Full Breakdown

The Movie Night quest is a story-focused mission added in the ARC Raiders:Headwinds update. While the ARC threat continues to grow, this quest offers a rare moment of humanity. Apollo proposes a simple plan:bring people together at Speranza for a movie night to lift spirits. Turning that idea into reality, however, means venturing into hostile zones to recover lost relics from the old world.


To finish the Movie Night quest, players must locate Old Movie Tapes and a Portable TV, successfully extract with both items, and deliver them back to Apollo. Below is a step-by-step breakdown covering where to search, what dangers to expect, and how to complete the mission efficiently.


Where to Find Old Movie Tapes in ARC Raiders


The Old Movie Tapes are always found in the Cultural Archives on the Stella Montis map. This area lies to the east of the Business Center and is well known for high-value loot—along with intense enemy activity.


Because the Cultural Archives can also drop valuable ARC Raiders Items, many players choose to combine this mission with material farming or general looting runs.


Threats Inside the Cultural Archives


The zone is a compact urban space packed with rubble, storage crates, and ruined interiors. Expect resistance from:


Ticks, which attack in groups and punish careless movement


Shredders, capable of heavy damage if not handled carefully


Before entering, repair your gear, stock healing items, and make sure you have enough inventory space to secure quest objectives.


How to Locate the Old Movie Tapes


Once inside the Cultural Archives, open your map and look for a blue cross icon inside a circle. This marker highlights the exact search zone tied to the Movie Night quest.


Near that location, you'll find a set of tarp-covered containers. These boxes are visually distinct from other loot objects and represent the only valid spawn for the Old Movie Tapes.


Place the tapes into your Safe Pocket immediately. Doing so protects them if you're forced to retreat, die, or extract under pressure.


How to Find a Portable TV for Movie Night


Unlike the movie tapes, the Portable TV does not have a fixed spawn point. Its appearance is randomized, making this portion of the quest more luck-based.


Portable TV Spawns in the Cultural Archives


Your first attempt should still be within the Cultural Archives, where Portable TVs can appear in several locations, including:


Drawers and filing cabinets


Breachable transport containers


On top of furniture such as desks, chairs, or storage units


Take your time searching vertically as well as horizontally—many players overlook TVs placed on elevated objects.


Best Backup Locations for Portable TVs


If the TV doesn't spawn during your Cultural Archives run, extract safely and try again elsewhere. The Portable TV counts as a residential loot item, meaning it appears more frequently in living spaces.


Your best alternative map is Buried City.


Top Buried City Areas to Search


Focus your efforts on locations with multiple apartments or homes:


Grandioso Apartments


Santa Maria Homes


Red Tower


Space Travel buildings


These areas contain numerous residential rooms, dramatically improving TV spawn chances. Enemy patrols in Buried City are also more predictable, making it a solid option for solo players.


Extraction Strategies for Movie Night


Both quest items must be extracted successfully, so survival is just as important as looting. To improve your odds:


Disengage immediately after securing quest items


Use smoke grenades to break line of sight


Plan your extraction route before entering the area


Favor stealth over prolonged combat


If you're repeatedly losing items, upgrading your equipment—or even choosing to buy ARC Raiders Items to reinforce your loadout—can significantly improve consistency.


Movie Night Quest Rewards


Once you return both the Old Movie Tapes and the Portable TV to Apollo in Speranza, the quest is complete. You'll receive:


3× Showstopper Grenades


3× Smoke Grenades


1× Fireworks Box


These rewards provide excellent utility for future raids, supporting both aggressive pushes and tactical escapes.


Final Advice for a Smooth Completion


Always secure the Movie Tapes in your Safe Pocket


Fully search the Cultural Archives before extracting


Switch to Buried City if the TV doesn't spawn


Residential zones offer the highest TV drop rates


The Movie Night quest stands out in ARC Raiders as a short but meaningful mission that blends tension, exploration, and character development. With smart preparation and careful routing, it can be completed in one or two clean runs—helping Apollo bring a brief moment of joy back to Speranza amid the chaos.