Keeping the Memory Quest Guide: Helmet Location & Formicai Hills Wreckage (ARC Raiders)

Not every mission in ARC Raiders revolves around intense firefights or high-stakes loot runs. Sometimes, the most memorable quests are the quiet ones—the missions that pause the chaos long enough to honor the fallen and remind you what’s at stake in this war-torn world.

“Keeping the Memory” is one such quest, given by Celeste after she reflects on the First Wave—a devastating period when many Raiders lost their lives. She asks you to recover a missing helmet from a wreckage site in the Formicai Hills and return it to a memorial, keeping her promise to remember those who didn’t make it back.

This guide walks you through every step of completing “Keeping the Memory,” from locating the Formicai Hills wreckage to finding the hidden helmet and placing it on the memorial stand.

Quest Overview: Keeping the Memory

Quest Giver: Celeste
Location: Dam Battlegrounds map (Formicai Hills region)
Difficulty: Easy (No combat required)
Extraction Required: No
Recommended Loadout: Free or budget gear

Quest Objectives:

1. Reach the wreckage in the Formicai Hills
2. Search for the missing helmet
3. Return the helmet to the memorial

Rewards:

• 5x Simple Gun Parts
• 5x Duct Tape
• 5x Magnets

All three objectives must be completed in a single raid, though you don’t need to extract afterward. If you get knocked out after placing the helmet, you can still complete the quest as long as you’ve finished all the objectives.

When Does Keeping the Memory Unlock?

“Keeping the Memory” becomes available directly after completing the “Straight Record” quest, also from Celeste. You’ll typically receive this quest during your mid-game progression as you build your relationship with Celeste through her quest chain.

For more Celeste quests, check our complete guides:

• Straight Record Quest (Victory Ridge EMP Trap)
• Balanced Harvest Quest (Celeste Lab 1)
• Switching the Supply Quest (Celeste Spaceport Tunnels)
• Water Troubles Quest (Flood Access Tunnel)
• After Rain Comes Quest (Celeste Sonar Panels)

Step 1: Reach the Formicai Hills Wreckage

Finding the Wreckage Location

The Formicai Hills stretch across the southern portion of the Dam Battlegrounds map. The wreckage is labeled on the map once you zoom in, located west of the Testing Annex and south of Research & Administration.

Exact Location Details:

• Map Region: Dam Battlegrounds (Southern forested area)
• Nearby POIs: Between Scrap Yard and Testing Annex
• Map Label: “Wreckage” (visible when zoomed in closely)
• Landmark: Large Derelict Baron Husk (giant spider-like machine wreckage)

You will find this to the south of the map in the forest area, right between the Scrap Yard and Testing Annex. There’s a spawn point relatively close to this location, which helps reduce travel time significantly.

Pro Tip: Place a custom waypoint on the “Wreckage” marker before deploying. This ensures you maintain clear navigation even when moving through dense forest areas.

Approaching the Site Safely

While “Keeping the Memory” doesn’t require combat, the southern Dam Battlegrounds can still be dangerous:

Environmental Hazards:

• Patrolling Pops (small ARC units)
• Occasional Baron patrols near wooded areas
• Other Raiders competing for loot in nearby POIs

Travel Tips:

• Stay in forested areas when possible for natural cover
• Avoid the Testing Annex if heavily contested
• Listen for mechanical sounds indicating nearby ARC units

Unlike typical objectives that involve combat or scavenging for rare resources, this quest focuses on remembrance and connection, but that doesn’t mean the journey there is risk-free.

For general survival strategies, see our Best Tips & Tricks guide.

Step 2: Locate the Missing Helmet

Identifying the Baron Husk

Once in the area, look for a giant ruined spider robot, which will not be hard to spot. The Baron Husk is a massive metallic structure partially overgrown with vegetation—think of a collapsed spider-like machine nestled into the forest floor.

This wreckage serves as your primary landmark. Once you’ve reached this structure, your first objective (“Reach the wreckage in the Formicai Hills”) will automatically complete, and the quest will update to “Search for the missing helmet.”

Finding the Hidden Helmet

The helmet’s location is deliberately subtle, blending into the natural environment:

Step-by-Step Location Guide:

1. Position yourself near the Baron Husk wreckage
2. Look to the right side of the mechanical debris (when facing the main body)
3. Scan the ground near bushes and overgrowth surrounding the wreck
4. Search for a small interaction prompt indicating the helmet’s presence

Search around the robot until you locate a set of wires leading up to a stick. Right ahead of that will be a bush, beside which you will find the helmet.

The helmet appears as a small, dark-colored object partially obscured by foliage. It’s easy to miss if you’re scanning quickly, so take your time and check around all sides of the Baron Husk debris.

Visual Clue: The memorial pole with holographic helmet projection is visible nearby—this helps orient your search. The actual helmet you need to pick up is in the opposite direction from this memorial.

Common Issues: Helmet Already Placed

Sometimes a bug occurs where the helmet is already placed on the memorial stand, preventing any interaction. If this happens, simply restart the raid and do the quest again.

This occurs because ARC Raiders features persistent world objects. If another player in your lobby completed the quest before you reached the site, the helmet may already be at the memorial. Simply extract, redeploy, and try again in a fresh lobby.

Step 3: Return the Helmet to the Memorial

Locating the Memorial Stand

After collecting the helmet, you’ll receive an updated objective: “Return the helmet to the memorial.”

The memorial is extremely close to where you found the helmet—usually just 10-20 meters away:

Memorial Characteristics:

• Small metal pole sticking out of the ground
• Holographic projection of a helmet hovering above it
• Highlighted interaction marker when you approach
• Located in the same clearing as the Baron Husk

After retrieving the helmet, walk a short distance forward — you’ll soon spot a small memorial pole sticking out of the ground. The pole has a holographic projection of a helmet hovering above it, making it easy to identify.

Completing the Memorial

Walk up to the memorial pole and interact with it to place the helmet:

What Happens:

• A brief visual cue will appear, confirming that the memorial has been restored and Celeste’s promise has been fulfilled
• The game displays a quest completion notification
• “Keeping the Memory” is marked as complete

This is a peaceful, reflective step in the mission, symbolizing a moment of remembrance for those who’ve fallen in the ongoing war against the ARC. Take a moment to appreciate the storytelling—these quieter narrative beats make ARC Raiders more than just another extraction shooter.

Claiming Your Rewards

Once you’ve returned the helmet to the memorial, return to Speranza and see Celeste for your reward. “Keeping the Memory” does not require extraction, so if you get knocked out, you can still complete the quest as long as you’ve finished all the objectives.

How to Claim:

1. Extract from Dam Battlegrounds (or simply die—quest progress is saved)
2. Return to your hideout at Speranza
3. Open the Traders menu
4. Select Celeste
5. Click Complete to claim rewards

Quest Rewards Breakdown:

While these materials aren’t the rarest in the game, they’re valuable early- to mid-tier crafting components that can be used for weapon maintenance and equipment upgrades.

If you need to know what to do with these materials, check our Recycle & Sell Items Complete Guide.

Recommended Loadout & Strategy

The Free Loadout Approach

Note that you won’t need to extract anything to complete this quest, so you can load in with a free loadout to reduce any concerns about losing your precious resources.

Since “Keeping the Memory” doesn’t require extraction and involves minimal combat risk, going in light makes perfect sense:

Recommended Free Loadout:

• Basic rifle or SMG (for self-defense against Pops)
• No armor (saves resources, faster movement)
• 1-2 healing items (in case of emergency encounters)
• No valuable loot in your inventory

Why Free Loadout Works:

• Quest completes immediately after helmet placement
• No extraction required means no risk of losing progress
• Faster movement speed without heavy gear
• Zero financial loss if you die during the run

If You’re Combining with Other Objectives

Planning to knock out multiple tasks in one Dam Battlegrounds run? Consider these adjustments:

Hybrid Loadout Tips:

• Bring a Safe Pocket if carrying valuable loot from other objectives
• Pack enough ammo for extended engagements
• Include healing items for longer survival
• Equip basic armor for additional protection

Go Light but Prepared: Since this quest doesn’t require combat, bring a light loadout with basic defense weapons. This allows for faster movement and easier extraction.

For loadout optimization strategies, see our guide on Safe Pockets to Prevent Item Loss.

Combat Avoidance Strategy

If you’re looking to simply complete the quest and nothing else, I recommend going solo and bringing a free or budget loadout so you don’t lose anything too valuable if something goes awry.

Stealth Tips:

• Deploy during off-peak hours when lobbies are less populated
• Avoid major POIs like Testing Annex and Scrap Yard
• Crouch-walk through forested areas for reduced visibility
• Listen for audio cues indicating nearby threats

The Formicai Hills wreckage is relatively isolated, making it easier to complete the quest without encountering other players.

Additional Tips & Considerations

Quest Design & Storytelling

“Keeping the Memory” stands out as one of ARC Raiders’ more emotionally driven missions. This isn’t a quest about fighting or collecting loot; it’s one of honouring the fallen. After a moment of reflection on her past, during the First Wave, Celeste asks you to recover a lost helmet from the Formical Hills and return it to a memorial.

These narrative-focused quests add depth to the world and give context to the ongoing conflict between Raiders and the ARC machines. They remind players that behind every extraction run and every firefight, there are human stories of loss and survival.

Time Investment

“Keeping the Memory” is a quick, low-risk objective that’s easy to slot into a Dam Battlegrounds raid route — especially if you’re already moving through the southern points of interest.

Expected Completion Time:

• 5-8 minutes from spawn to quest completion (direct route)
• 10-15 minutes if combining with other objectives or playing cautiously

Server-Side Object Behavior

One quirk worth noting: The helmet seems to be a server-side object, meaning once someone moves it onto the memorial, anyone who comes to the wreckage later will not be able to do the same.

If you arrive at the wreckage and the helmet is already on the memorial pole, you won’t be able to interact with it. Your only option is to extract, redeploy into a new lobby, and try again. This can be frustrating, but it’s a quick enough quest that redeploying isn’t a major setback.

Relationship Building with Celeste

Completing “Keeping the Memory” progresses your standing with Celeste, potentially unlocking:

• Future quest chains from her trader line
• Improved trade options and discounts
• Access to exclusive blueprints or items

Building trader relationships is key to long-term progression in ARC Raiders. Each completed quest strengthens your connection with NPCs and opens new gameplay opportunities.

For a complete overview of all available quests, visit our All Quests & Missions Complete List.

Related Quest Guides

If you’re working through Celeste’s quest chain or exploring the Dam Battlegrounds, these guides may help:

Dam Battlegrounds Quests:

• Dam Control Tower Key Location & Use
• Dam Surveillance Key Location & Uses
• A Lay of the Land Quest (Jiangsu Warehouse)

Other Trader Quests:

• Dormant Barons Quest (Baron Husk Locations)
• A Bad Feeling Quest (Courier Probe Locations)
• Trash Into Treasure Quest (Wires & Batteries)

Extraction & Survival:

• How to Extract Safely (Normal Raider Hatch)
• How to Get Raider Hatch Keys

Final Thoughts

“Keeping the Memory” is a brief but meaningful quest that showcases ARC Raiders’ commitment to storytelling alongside its extraction shooter mechanics. While it won’t challenge your combat skills or yield high-tier loot, it provides important context about the world and the characters who inhabit it.

The quest is also refreshingly straightforward—no confusing multi-step objectives, no extraction requirements, and no significant risk if you approach it with a free loadout. It’s the perfect quest to complete during a low-pressure Dam Battlegrounds run when you want to make progress without high-stakes tension.

Plus, the rewards—while modest—are practical early- to mid-game materials that feed into your workshop progression. Every bit of Duct Tape, Simple Gun Parts, and Magnets counts when you’re upgrading your hideout facilities.

Take the time to complete “Keeping the Memory” when you reach this point in Celeste’s quest chain. It’s a small gesture that honors the fallen and deepens your connection to the game’s narrative—and in a world as harsh as ARC Raiders’, those moments of remembrance matter.

Ready to explore more? Download ARC Raiders on PlayStation or Xbox, and continue building your legacy in Speranza.

Need help with other Dam Battlegrounds objectives? Check our Eyes in the Sky Quest Guide or learn how to increase your stash and backpack space.