Arena Breakout: Infinite has three difficulty tiers in Tactical Ops: Normal, Lockdown Zone and Forbidden Zone. The Lockdown vs Forbidden question comes up constantly on r/ArenaBreakoutInfinite, and this week a thread titled "hmm today I will play lockdown <-- clueless" showed why. The jump from Normal to Lockdown, and then from Lockdown to Forbidden, changes how much gear you have to bring, which gear you're allowed to bring, and what you can find.
Season 7: Utopia changed the rules again. Lockdown now has a gear value ceiling as well as a floor, and both Normal and Lockdown have hard tier caps on armor and ammo. Most guides on this keyword still describe the Season 5 or Season 6 version of the system.
This guide covers Season 7: Utopia, which went live with the September 16, 2026 update. We checked every number against the official Morefun announcements in the Steam news feed for app 2073620 (101 posts, through October 14, 2026), and last re-checked it on October 20, 2026.
⚡ TL;DR — Lockdown vs Forbidden Zone in Arena Breakout: Infinite (Season 7)
- Normal: no entry requirement. Gear capped at protection and penetration level 4.
- Lockdown Zone: entry ticket plus a minimum equipment value of 150,000 Koen. In Season 7, total equipment value is capped at 900,000 and gear is capped at level 5.
- Forbidden Zone: a more expensive ticket plus a minimum equipment value of 450,000 Koen (600,000 on Airport). It's the only standard tier where Season 7 adds no tier cap.
- Loot: Forbidden has more encrypted safes and Strong Boxes. Morefun says Airport has the highest drop rates.
- Season 7 swap: Farm Forbidden, Valley Lockdown and Airport Forbidden were replaced by the zombie Infected Area versions. Heavy Infected Zone pays Forbidden-level rewards.
- Rule of thumb: move up when you can lose the full kit three times in a row and still afford a fourth.
What is the difference between Normal, Lockdown and Forbidden Zone?
Morefun described the three tiers when the game launched on Steam ("Arena Breakout: Infinite Full Release is live on Steam now!", September 16, 2025):
"Normal — A standard region with no requirements to enter. Everyone earns something here. Suitable for new operators in the Dark Zone. Lockdown Zone — A dangerous Lockdown Zone rich in supplies. A ticket is required to enter, and you must also bring equipment totaling up to a certain value. Suitable for experienced operators. Forbidden Zone — A lethal Forbidden Zone replete with supplies. A more expensive ticket is required to enter, and you must also bring even pricier equipment. Suitable only for the strongest operators."
Those three tiers belong to the map, not to a separate game mode. You pick a map, then you pick its difficulty. Each step up brings:
- A higher entry cost, meaning a ticket plus a minimum value of gear you must carry in.
- A higher gear ceiling. Since Season 7, Normal and Lockdown cap the armor and ammo tier you can bring.
- A better loot table, with more high-tier containers, safes and red items.
- Better-equipped opponents. That follows from the first two points.
There's no "Hard" or "Nightmare" setting. The official tier names are Normal, Lockdown Zone and Forbidden Zone. Players shorten Lockdown to "LD" and Forbidden to "Forb", so you'll see both in Reddit threads and in-game chat.
What are the Lockdown and Forbidden Zone entry requirements?
The entry floor is a minimum equipment value: the Koen value of the gear you carry into the raid. Morefun last published these numbers in the Season 4 "Dusk to Dawn" launch notes (January 8, 2026):
"Adjusted the equipment value requirements for various difficulties. The requirement for Lockdown Zone has been increased from 100,000 to 150,000, and for Forbidden Zone from 300,000 to 450,000. The requirement for Airport Forbidden Zone is 600,000."
Season 7 added a ceiling to Lockdown. From the Season 7 UTOPIA Arrives with Massive Rewards! post (September 15, 2026):
"For Lockdown Zone (including Infected Area) raids, equipment value will be capped at 900,000. Additionally, you can only bring in gear whose protection level and penetration level are 5 or below. For raids at Normal difficulty, you can only bring in gear whose protection level and penetration level are 4 or below. This gear includes helmets, masks, armored rigs, and body armor."
Here are the current requirements side by side:
| Tier | Entry ticket | Minimum equipment value | Maximum equipment value | Armor / ammo tier cap (Season 7) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | None | None | None | Level 4 and below |
| Lockdown Zone | Required | 150,000 Koen | 900,000 Koen (new in S7) | Level 5 and below |
| Forbidden Zone | Required (more expensive) | 450,000 Koen | No cap listed | No cap listed |
| Forbidden Zone (Airport) | Required (more expensive) | 600,000 Koen | No cap listed | No cap listed |
A few notes on reading that table:
- The 900,000 ceiling is lower than before. A September 25, 2025 hotfix first added a Lockdown "starting limit" of 1,000,000 Koen, saying that if your equipment value goes over it, "the match cannot be initiated." Season 7 lowered that limit to 900,000.
- No later post has changed the minimums. None of the official announcements after January 8, 2026 mention new minimum values. The deploy screen still has the final say, though: if a hotfix changes them, the in-game number wins.
- Morefun doesn't publish ticket prices in its patch notes, so we don't list one. The only ticket cost it has given recently is for the zombie mode: the Season 7 post says the "key point cost for all maps in the Heavy Infected Zone has been standardized at 2 points" as a limited-time Season 7 benefit.
Do Quick Kits meet the Lockdown requirement?
The Tactical Quick Kit does, exactly. In the same Season 4 notes Morefun raised the Tactical Quick Kit to 150,000 equipment value, which matches the Lockdown minimum, and the Advanced Quick Kit to 300,000. An Advanced Quick Kit is still 150,000 short of the standard Forbidden Zone floor and 300,000 short of Airport Forbidden. You'll have to add your own gear before you can queue Forbidden.
How does the Season 7 gear cap change Lockdown?
Before Season 7, a Lockdown lobby could include a player in a full top-tier kit. That's no longer possible. With gear capped at level 5 and total value capped at 900,000, the best Lockdown kit is now a known quantity: level-5 armor and ammo, inside a budget.
In practice, that means three things:
- Lockdown has a fixed ceiling. Nobody in your Lockdown raid can wear armor above level 5 or fire ammo above penetration level 5. Building your own kit to that ceiling makes you as well-equipped as anyone there.
- Level-6 gear is for Forbidden only. Any level-6 armor or red ammo you're saving has no use in Normal or Lockdown anymore. Our Season 7 ammo and gear cap explainer covers how the cap works with Pierce Level in detail.
- Over-tier fights are less of a dice roll. Season 7 also "Removed T5/T6 Armor Penetration RNG" (SEASON 7: UTOPIA ARRIVES SEP 16, September 8, 2026). In Forbidden, where level-6 gear is still legal, whether a round penetrates now depends on the numbers rather than luck. Our Season 7 best ammo guide explains how Pierce Level works.
One reply in the October 2026 Lockdown thread made the point well. The player took a high-penetration battle-rifle setup into Lockdown and said it "melts them faster than the past." Within the cap, the right ammo for the tier still decides the fight.
Is the loot better in Forbidden Zone than Lockdown?
Yes. Morefun is careful not to publish drop percentages, but every official statement on the subject points the same way.
- More high-tier containers. When Airport launched, the Season 4 notes said: "In the Lockdown Zone, the Airport map will contain 7 electronic safes, 7 encrypted safes, 1 regular safe, 2 Strong Boxes, and 13 small safes. In the Forbidden Zone, the number of encrypted safes and Strong Boxes will be even greater."
- Airport has the best drop rates. The January 15, 2026 Live Update said "the Airport map will continue to have the highest drop rates," and that "the loot value in other Lockdown Zones and Forbidden Zones has been increased further." That's also why Airport Forbidden has the highest entry floor at 600,000. Our Airport map guide covers the layout.
- Encrypted Files favor higher tiers. Encrypted Files can spawn on every main-mode map, "with a higher chance of appearing in Lockdown and Forbidden Zone modes" (Season 4 notes).
- Events often skip Normal. Previous evolvable event items, the Pumpkins (October 2025) and the Pegasus (February 2026), only progressed in Lockdown Zone or Forbidden Zone raids. A November 2025 event on Farm guaranteed 1 air drop in Lockdown and 2 in Forbidden.
Morefun's own graphics use the tiers as a loot scale. The Season 6 Hostile Sector card above rates Farm at "Lockdown Zone Loot", Northridge "Higher than Lockdown Zone Loot" and TV Station at "Forbidden Zone Loot". Hostile Sector itself isn't available in Season 7, but the ranking still shows how the developer rates the three tiers.
Which maps have Lockdown and Forbidden Zone in Season 7?
This changed with Season 7. The zombie PvPvE mode, Infected Area, took over three map-tier slots. From the September 15, 2026 launch post:
"The maps available are Farm (Heavy Infected Area), Valley (Infected Area), and Airport (Heavy Infected Area). These will replace Farm (Forbidden Zone), Valley (Lockdown Zone), and Airport (Forbidden Zone), respectively."
The reveal post links the zombie tiers to the standard ones: Infected Zone corresponds to Lockdown and Heavy Infected Zone corresponds to Forbidden. The launch post adds that Heavy Infected Zone rewards "remain on par with those of the Forbidden Zone." The 900,000 Lockdown cap and the level-5 gear cap explicitly apply to the Infected Area as well.
What that means for each map this season:
- Farm Forbidden and Airport Forbidden now run as Heavy Infected Zone: Forbidden-level loot, with zombie mutants alongside other players.
- Valley Lockdown now runs as Infected Zone.
- The other maps, Northridge, TV Station and Armory, aren't named in the swap. Morefun hasn't published a full map-by-tier list for Season 7, so check the map selector for which tiers are currently open on each one.
The Infected Area also has its own exclusive red item, "Elysium," which Morefun says is "equal in value to Utopia." For a full walkthrough of the zombie modes, see our Infected Zone and Zombie Endless guide.
When should you move up from Normal to Lockdown?
Lockdown is the right next step for most players once Normal feels routine. That's where Morefun's own description points too: Lockdown is "suitable for experienced operators," and Forbidden is "suitable only for the strongest operators."
You're probably ready for Lockdown when you can check these off:
- You know the map. You can get to an extraction without opening the map, and you know where the safes are. Lockdown players will punish slow routing.
- You can afford to lose the kit. The minimum is 150,000, but a competitive Lockdown kit costs well over that. One useful reply in a current r/ArenaBreakoutInfinite gear-fear thread: "find a Koen amount you're willing to lose" and build to that number, then raise it as your confidence grows.
- You're taking fights deliberately. In Normal, AI enemies and under-geared players forgive mistakes. In Lockdown they won't.
Remember that Normal is now capped at level 4. That makes it a fair place to practise with mid-tier gear, because nobody there can bring level-5 or level-6 kit. Our best budget loadout guide has Season 7 kits that work in Normal and still clear the 150,000 Lockdown floor.
When should you move up from Lockdown to Forbidden Zone?
The step up to Forbidden is about money first and skill second. You pay a higher ticket, the minimum gear value triples from 150,000 to 450,000, and you meet players in level-6 gear that Lockdown no longer allows.
Use this as a quick check:
| Question | Stay in Lockdown | Try Forbidden |
|---|---|---|
| Can you lose a 450,000+ kit three raids in a row and still afford a fourth? | No | Yes |
| Are you extracting in most of your Lockdown raids? | Under half | Most raids |
| Do you have level-6 armor and ammo you can't use anywhere else? | No | Yes |
| Are you squadded with players you know? | Solo, still learning | Squad, or an experienced solo player |
A practical note on money: the Season 7 Lockdown cap is 900,000, so a strong Lockdown kit and a minimum Forbidden kit (450,000) can cost about the same. If your Lockdown loadouts already sit near the cap, the extra cost of Forbidden is mostly the ticket and the risk of fighting better-geared players, not the gear itself.
Lockdown vs Forbidden Zone: which earns more Koen?
It depends on whether you extract. Forbidden has the higher ceiling, with more encrypted safes, more Strong Boxes and Morefun's best loot tables. It also has the bigger loss when a raid goes wrong. Lockdown in Season 7 is more predictable: the opposition is capped, your kit costs less, and you lose less when you die.
For most players, the most reliable Koen comes from consistent Lockdown runs on maps they know well, with Forbidden saved for when you have a squad and spare money. For a full breakdown of Koen methods in Season 7, including barter flips and Market selling, see our guide to making Koen fast.
One thing to keep in mind with any Koen plan: Koen can't be bought with real money in Arena Breakout: Infinite. Morefun removed that option before the 1.0 launch. Its security team also penalizes the buyer as well as the seller in illegal trades, including confiscating everything the buyer gained and lowering their Merit Score. In-game farming is the only safe way to build Koen.
Common Lockdown and Forbidden Zone mistakes
- Bringing level-6 gear to Lockdown. Since Season 7 the game won't allow it. Keep your reds for Forbidden.
- Going over the 900,000 Lockdown cap. An expensive scope or rig can push you over without you noticing, and the match won't start until you remove something.
- Assuming an Advanced Quick Kit is enough for Forbidden. At 300,000 it's well short of the 450,000 floor.
- Using Airport Forbidden as your first Forbidden map. It has the highest floor (600,000), and it's currently running as Heavy Infected Zone with zombies added.
- Expecting a stash wipe to reset everyone. Arena Breakout: Infinite resets season rank and seasonal missions, but your stash and Koen carry over. See our does ABI wipe explainer.
Want more Arena Breakout: Infinite guides? Every guide below is checked against Morefun's official patch notes and dated to the season it covers.
- Season 7 ammo and gear cap explained
- Best ammo in Season 7: Pierce Level and ammo tiers
- Best armor in Season 7: classes and durability
- Solo guide: how to win solo in Season 7
FAQ
What is the minimum gear value for Lockdown Zone in Arena Breakout: Infinite? 150,000 Koen of equipment value. Morefun raised it from 100,000 in the Season 4 update on January 8, 2026, and no later official post has changed it. In Season 7 there's also a maximum: Lockdown equipment value is capped at 900,000.
What is the minimum gear value for Forbidden Zone? 450,000 Koen on standard maps and 600,000 on Airport Forbidden, per the Season 4 notes. You also need a more expensive entry ticket than Lockdown.
Can you use T6 armor or ammo in Lockdown? No. Since Season 7: Utopia, Lockdown only allows gear whose protection level and penetration level are 5 or below. Normal is capped at 4. The cap covers helmets, masks, armored rigs and body armor. Level-6 gear is only legal in Forbidden Zone.
Is Forbidden Zone worth it in Arena Breakout: Infinite? If you can afford to lose a 450,000+ kit several times, yes. It has more encrypted safes and Strong Boxes and Morefun's best loot tables. If you're still extracting in fewer than half of your Lockdown raids, you'll usually earn more Koen by staying in Lockdown.
Is the Infected Zone the same as Lockdown? Morefun's Season 7 reveal says Infected Zone corresponds to Lockdown and Heavy Infected Zone corresponds to Forbidden. The 900,000 equipment value cap and the level-5 gear cap apply to Infected Area raids too. Heavy Infected Zone rewards are on par with Forbidden Zone.
Why can't I start a Lockdown raid? Usually because your equipment value is outside the allowed range: under the 150,000 minimum, or over the Season 7 cap of 900,000. The other common cause is carrying gear above level 5. Remove or downgrade items until you're within the limits.
