'Off the Grid' Hex Guide: How to Extract the Most Hexes in the Battle Royale Shooter

With Off the Grid suddenly becoming one of the biggest games in the space right now, attention is starting to turn to the game’s promised earning potential, which looks to be tied to the hex system of loot boxes and the items they contain.

Once all of the Avalanche-based crypto and NFT tech is fully implemented, we suspect that you may be able to make some cash from buying and selling both hexes and the items they contain on the in-game marketplace, and then cash out your earnings on exchanges with the promised GUN token.

But even now, players are keen to get their hands on some of the rare items in the game—either to give them better equipment for their loadouts, or just as cosmetic status symbols to show off. According to some community members in the know, more than 3 million hexes have been opened already, and a few of the rare items certainly look quite cool.

So with more than a few reasons to try to find and extract some hexes in Off the Grid, we’ve come up with some helpful tips to make sure you exit the battlefield with the most hexes possible at the end of every game.

Check every loot crate you see 

A screenshot from Off the Grid in early access. Image: Decrypt

This may seem obvious, but if hunting hexes is your game, then you really need to be checking every unopened crate you see on the map. This is even the case after you get your loadout drop or a set of equipment you are happy with, because you never know where a rare hex will be hiding. If you're looking for hexes, then you can usually find at least one or two in most matches.

Watch the map

A screenshot from Off the Grid in early access. Image: Decrypt

If you open up the map, then you’ll often see some big coloured circles based on the rarity colors, with a little hex box symbol in the middle. That means there’s a player with that color hex in their inventory somewhere in the circle. It’s not an exact location, but it’s enough info for confident players to go hunting to try and pick up an extra hex or two. After all, there’s no need to go looting if you just kill the people who did the looting for you.

Listen up

A screenshot from Off the Grid in early access. Image: Decrypt

On a similar note, whenever someone starts a hex extraction in your area, there will be an announcement to all players letting you know where that is. If you are specifically hunting for hexes and aren’t too bothered about winning the match then this is your best chance to go and grab some easy loot boxes.

But instead of just running in and trying to take a fight against a team that has likely already had time to prepare, it’s probably a good idea to try to scout their positions from afar before running to the extractor. This should give you an extra knowledge advantage for the fight that you will need to win if you want to take their hex.

Follow the wires to stop a hex extraction 

A screenshot from Off the Grid in early access. Image: Decrypt

If you make it to an extractor that is in the process of extracting a hex, your job is not over yet. Whereas starting an extraction just requires you to interact with the main console, trying to stop an extraction forces you to find one of the power sources, shoot off the top silver panels on the tower, and then return to the main console and interact with it to stop the extraction.

To find said power source, you’ll need to follow the massive cables coming out of the main console. Once you do this, the % counter will start to tick down; if it hits zero, then the hex will pop out of the machine, ready for you to pick up and start your own extraction. It’s a convoluted system that isn’t explained well and takes a long time to do, but it might be what nets you a rare item or two.

Extractions continue even outside of the circle 

A screenshot from Off the Grid in early access. Image: Decrypt

This is my favorite way to extract a hex easily. If you see an extractor that will soon be out of the circle, then you should head to it and start your extraction right as the circle reaches it. That way the extraction will still take place, but to stop it, players will need to head outside of the circle and take a lot of damage while they fumble with the above process. Usually that’s a pretty stupid idea, so it’s essentially a free extraction if you get the timing right.

Edited by Andrew Hayward