If you have spent any real time in Arc Raiders, you already know that quests are rarely as simple as they sound. The Movie Night quest is a perfect example. On paper, it looks chill. Grab some old VHS tapes, find a portable TV, bring them back to Apollo. In reality, it sends you straight into Stella Montis, one of the most punishing maps in the game, and then asks you to extract with a rare residential item on top of that.
Before we dive in, quick note for players short on resources. If you are grinding hard and want to save time, some players choose PVPBank to buy arc raiders coins so they can focus on quest progression instead of endless farming. Use that option wisely and sparingly. Now, let us get into the real walkthrough.
This guide is written from the perspective of someone who has run Stella Montis more times than I care to admit, wiped to Shredders, dodged ARCs by inches, and learned the hard way where not to go. If you want a clean, efficient Movie Night completion, you are in the right place.
Arc Raiders Movie Night Quest Overview
The Arc Raiders Movie Night quest is a narrative side quest that adds flavor to the world of Speranza. It shows what people do when they are not fighting machines or scraping for survival. Apollo wants to host a movie night, and somehow that responsibility lands on you.
There are three main objectives in the Movie Night quest.
Deliver a portable TV to Apollo
Search the Cultural Archives on Stella Montis for old movie tapes
Deliver the stack of movie tapes to Apollo
You can complete these steps in any order, but how you approach them matters a lot if you want to avoid unnecessary deaths.
Should You Get the Portable TV or VHS Tapes First
Veteran advice here. Do not start with Stella Montis unless you already have the portable TV secured.
The VHS tapes are locked to a single location in the Cultural Archives. The portable TV is not. If you go into Stella Montis first, grab the tapes, and then die before extracting, you are doing the hardest part twice. That is pain.
The smarter route is to farm a portable TV first on safer maps, extract with it, stash it, and only then head into Stella Montis for the movie tapes.
How to Find a Portable TV in Arc Raiders
The portable TV is classified as a rare residential loot item. That classification is important because it tells you exactly where to look.
Residential loot spawns most often in apartments, houses, and village style zones. You are not going to find this reliably in industrial facilities or military zones.
Best Maps for Portable TV Farming
From experience, these are your best bets.
Blue Gate Map
Blue Gate is hands down the safest and most efficient place to hunt for a portable TV.
Village
Raiders Refuge
Ruined Homestead
Village is the standout here. It is large, dense with residential loot containers, and usually accessible early in a match. If you spawn near it, rush it. Open everything. Dressers, cabinets, shelves. The portable TV can spawn in standard residential loot containers.
Buried City Map
Buried City is riskier but still viable.
Grandioso Apartments
Santa Maria Houses
Plaza Rosa
Apartments are your priority here. The layout is tighter, and enemy patrols can get messy, but spawn density is solid.
Stella Montis
Yes, portable TVs can technically spawn here, but this is not recommended. Stella Montis is already dangerous enough without adding extra loot RNG to your run.
Extraction Tip for Portable TV
Once you find the portable TV, your objective changes. You are no longer looting. You are extracting.
Move slow. Avoid fights. Use cover. Losing a portable TV hurts more than losing most guns.
Where to Find VHS Tapes in Arc Raiders Movie Night Quest
Now for the hard part.
The VHS tapes for the Movie Night quest are located in the Cultural Archives on Stella Montis. This is a fixed spawn. No RNG. The danger comes from getting in and getting out alive.
Understanding Stella Montis Layout
Stella Montis is vertical, hostile, and full of high tier enemies. If you rush blindly, you will die.
The Cultural Archives are located on the upper floor in the southeast section of the map.
Key landmarks to orient yourself.
Business Center
Atrium
Eastern Tunnel
The Cultural Archives sit directly above the Eastern Tunnel and south of the Business Center. If you can reach the Atrium, you are close.
Exact VHS Tape Location in the Cultural Archives
Once inside the Cultural Archives, head to the southwest corner of the area.
You are looking for old furniture covered with a white sheet. Under that sheet is a chest of drawers. When you approach it, you will see the prompt to search for VHS tapes.
Interact with it, and you will receive the stack of movie tapes required for the Movie Night quest.
This is a single interaction. No puzzle. No multiple steps. Just survive long enough to click it.
Enemies and Threats in the Cultural Archives
This area is heavily patrolled.
Expect Shredders moving along predictable paths. They hit hard and will end your run fast if you get cornered.
Listen carefully. Audio cues matter here. Do not sprint unless necessary. Patience beats speed in Stella Montis.
If you are running a free loadout, do not fight unless you absolutely have to. Your goal is extraction, not loot.
Safe Extraction After Getting the VHS Tapes
Once you have the tapes, put them in your safe pocket immediately if possible.
Your best extraction route is usually the Seed Vault Airshaft on the floor below. Drop down carefully and move with purpose.
Do not get greedy. Do not loot on the way out. I have watched too many good runs die because someone wanted one more crate.
Completing the Movie Night Quest
After you have both items secured and extracted successfully, return to Apollo.
Deliver the portable TV.
Deliver the VHS tapes.
Quest complete.
You will get your rewards and a nice bit of world building flavor that makes Arc Raiders feel more alive.
Veteran Tips for a Clean Movie Night Completion
Here are some hard learned lessons.
Run this quest solo or with a coordinated squad. Random teammates often move too fast or too loud.
Use suppressors if you have them. Noise attracts problems in Stella Montis.
Do not carry expensive gear. Run efficient, not flashy.
Memorize Shredder patrol routes. They are predictable if you slow down and watch.
If the run feels bad, extract early. There is no shame in resetting.
Is the Movie Night Quest Worth It
From a progression standpoint, yes. From a world building standpoint, absolutely.
Arc Raiders shines when it slows down and shows you what people are fighting to protect. Movie Night is one of those quests that quietly adds soul to the game.
Final Thoughts From a Veteran Raider
The Arc Raiders Movie Night quest is not mechanically complex, but it is strategically demanding. It tests your map knowledge, patience, and ability to prioritize survival over loot.
If you approach it methodically, secure the portable TV first, plan your Stella Montis route, and extract cleanly, this quest becomes satisfying instead of frustrating.
Take your time. Play smart. And when Apollo finally gets that movie night going, you will know you earned it.
If you want guides like this for other Arc Raiders quests, you are already playing the game the right way.
