Arc Raiders Receives Multiple Updates Addressing Exploits, Introducing Features, Events, and Bug Fixes

Embark Studios has released multiple updates for its extraction shooter, Arc Raiders, including versions 1.12.0 and 1.15.0. These updates have focused on addressing in-game exploits, introducing new gameplay features, implementing quality-of-life improvements, and resolving a wide range of technical issues across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S platforms.

Update 1.12.0: Exploit Mitigation and Core Enhancements

Update 1.12.0, detailed in patch notes published by community lead Ossen, addressed several in-game exploits.

These included fixes for item and ammo duplication, the ability to damage players through certain geometry, and various out-of-bounds (OOB) map locations on Stella Montis. Stella Montis, a high-difficulty area, had been associated with OOB exploits for several months, with a previous patch on December 11 also targeting a zipline-related OOB glitch in the area.

Despite the update, players reported that some OOB glitches on the Stella Montis map persisted, with community discussions indicating instances of continued exploits, particularly "wall glitches" in areas such as the lobby and seed vault extract. Embark Studios had previously identified OOB glitches as a priority for anti-cheat improvements.

Anti-Cheat Measures

A three-strikes progressive ban system has been implemented as part of anti-cheat efforts. This system escalates penalties from 30-day bans to 60-day bans, culminating in a permanent ban for repeat offenders.

New Gameplay Features

The update introduced several new gameplay options and systems:

• Solo vs Squads Matchmaking: Players at level 40 and above can now opt into Squads queues while playing solo, receiving a 20% bonus XP upon round completion.
• Trophy Display Project: A long-term project requiring players to hunt specific ARC groups and submit parts for rewards. This 5-step project, similar to the Candleberry Project, adds an item to a new Display Case at each step. Rewards include blueprints, Raider Tokens, an emote, a guitar, and 300,000 Coins. This project has no fixed end date and is unaffected by Expedition resets.
• Bird City Map Condition: The Buried City map now permanently features flocks of birds building nests in chimneys, potentially containing valuable trinkets, when it is in weekly rotation. This condition introduces additional bird traps, ziplines, and increased combat on or around rooftops, including more flying ARC and higher player proximity.
• New Items: Two new Epic Augments and seven new quests were added.

Quality-of-Life Improvements

Several usability enhancements were implemented:

• Open Parties: Players can now set their party to "open," allowing Embark and platform friends to join seamlessly, including mid-round to queue for the next match.
• Squad Invites: All squadmates can now invite others to the party, not just the party leader.
• Mouse Smoothing Option: A new option for mouse smoothing was added.
• Gamepad Rebinding: Options for gamepad button remapping were introduced.

Extensive Bug Fixes

A comprehensive list of bug fixes was included:

• Progress tracking for "Enemy of my Enemy" and "Hook, Line, and Sinker" achievements was corrected.

• Improvements were made to ARC traversal over obstacles and Leaper movement after losing legs.
• Dead Shredders are now correctly labeled as scavengeable when pinged.
• Snitches no longer abort ARC calls when Lure Grenades are thrown and cease noise after destruction.
• Spotters no longer get stuck when following players into buildings.
• Players grabbed by a Tick now have a brief window to dodge-roll to remove it.

• Emotes now have correct voice lines in store and customization previews.
• Voice chat cutting and connection issues were improved.

• Container types for condition-specific blueprints were reduced during Electromagnetic Storm, Hidden Bunker, and Locked Gate events.
• Chances of finding higher-tier weapons in cases increased.
• Matriarch and Queen unique part drop chances from armor pieces slightly decreased.
• Multiple un-interactable containers, a raider hatch timing bug, and a camera issue were fixed.

• Dam Battlegrounds: Cliff collision issues near the raider outpost tower, elevator shaft collision, and Pattern House collision were addressed. An unintended location in Water Treatment was fixed.
• Buried City: An invisible wall beneath the highway was removed. The musical puzzle was removed, with the guitar becoming purchasable.
• Spaceport: Floating rocks and grass were fixed. ARC spawn locations during Hidden Bunker on antennas were adjusted.
• Stella Montis: A Seedvault extraction glitch was fixed. Night Raid lighting was updated. 40 player-stuck locations were resolved. The Bastion spawning out of bounds and attacking through walls was fixed.

• Various crash fixes were implemented.
• A matchmaking delay option was added for stream sniping mitigation.
• Players can no longer play guitar while using a zipline.
• Aim assist consistency was improved across different framerates.
• Input registration issues at framerates above 30 were fixed.
• Macro set helmet variant appearance was corrected.
• Trinket placement issues were resolved.
• Various clipping issues were addressed.
• Sun lens flare VFX showing through clouds was fixed.
• Selected codex entry visibility was fixed.
• Fireworks boxes now randomly activate after a Raider is knocked out.
• Graphics settings resetting on PS5 were fixed.
• Lighting polish was applied to various maps.

• Player movement input unresponsiveness after network issues was fixed.
• Issues with falling off ladders when descending after climbing or jumping off while crouched were resolved.

• A new options tab for gamepad button rebinding was added.
• VOIP trigger action display and wording were improved for gamepad on PC.
• Incorrect inventory value display in Expedition sign-up was fixed.
• Weapons in Expedition-provided stash slots now appear in the weapon upgrade screen.
• Item amounts for non-stackable items in Projects donation and Trials rewards now display correctly.
• Open party option and squadmate invitation functionality were added.
• A new display for a friend joining a party while topside was implemented.
• Discord friends can now be invited or join directly with open party enabled.

• Zipline anchor point updating correctly on moving platforms was fixed.
• Excess items are now arranged better when changing augments in loadout.
• Simultaneous defibrillator use no longer revives players with full HP.

• Additional interactions were added to the final objective of the 'Groundbreaking' quest.

Update 1.15.0: Events and Further Adjustments

On February 10, Embark Studios released update 1.15.0 for Arc Raiders, introducing a new PvE event, reintroducing a map condition, and including further bug fixes and content adjustments.

Shared Watch Event

The 'Shared Watch' PvE event is active from February 10 to February 24. During this period, players can earn merits and rewards by destroying, assisting, and damaging ARC machines. PvP encounters do not yield merits for this event. Rewards are granted for participation.

Cold Snap Map Condition

The 'Cold Snap' map condition has been reintroduced into rotation on outdoor maps. This condition features frostbite damage, requiring players to seek shelter, but offers increased loot value. Candleberries are collectable, and players can collect and throw snowballs.

New Cosmetics

New cosmetic items introduced with this update include the 'Vulpine set' and the 'Slugger set'.

Additional Fixes and Adjustments

The update included various content additions and bug resolutions:

• Improved reconnection stability for players after disconnecting from a game.
• An issue where the match start tunnel scene sometimes did not display was resolved.
• Problems where trial objective rewards failed to grant fully were addressed, now ensuring partial rewards are awarded.
• Instances of incorrect merits, XP, and Live Event points on the end-of-round screen were corrected.
• Incorrect display of players' platform icons was addressed.
• An issue where crafting would sometimes be canceled was fixed.

• The Trailblazer Grenade no longer deals damage through walls.
• Its damage to small enemies has increased, while damage to larger enemies such as the Leaper and Bastion has decreased.

• Inconsistent weapon cycling when bound to keys other than the mouse wheel has been fixed, ensuring reliable weapon swapping.

Known Issues

The development team has identified several known issues across these updates:

• The 'Solo vs Squads' matchmaking option lacks a pop-up notification when it becomes available at level 40.
• Cosmetics acquirable via Raider Tokens may be missing from the customization menu if not yet purchased.
• A variant of the Marco set helmet may appear incorrectly in preview and menu but displays correctly in-game. The Scrappy “Batting Helmet” and the “Slugger” outfit might also appear incorrectly in the event preview.
• Players may occasionally not receive an indicated skill point on the result screen; this can be resolved by rebooting the game or playing another round.
• The 'Purchase Raider Tokens' page may incorrectly appear in front of the inbox and profile pages when switching.
• Player animations may appear broken when interrupting a search of the Baron Husk.
• Certain containers may be unavailable for interaction.
• Ziplines placed on destroyed ARC parts may not appear correctly.
• The “Blindsided” achievement may not trigger on the first attempt.

Game Background

Arc Raiders launched on October 30, 2025.