As of January 9, 2026, Embark Studios has officially broken its holiday silence to address the rampant cheating and exploit issues that have plagued ARC Raiders since late December. The studio’s statement, released via the official Discord, marks a turning point after high-profile streamers like Shroud and Nadeshot threatened to quit the game entirely.
The "Anti-Cheat" Strike Plan
Embark is moving beyond simple bans to implement a more aggressive security layer over the next few weeks:
Significant Ruleset Changes: The studio is "implementing significant changes to rulesets" to close the loopholes that allow current cheats to bypass detection.
New Detection Mechanisms: Beyond the standard anti-cheat, Embark is deploying custom-built detection tools to identify "unfair play" patterns faster, specifically targeting 0-level accounts and fresh Steam profiles that have been flooding lobbies.
Client-Side Glitch Fixes: A specific fix is coming for the Stella Montis out-of-bounds glitch. This exploit allowed players to shoot through ceilings and floors, making the high-tier loot map nearly impossible to play fairly.
Streamer Protection Tools
To address the "stream sniping" epidemic reported by Shroud, TimTheTatMan, and Cloakzy, Embark is introducing dedicated streamer tools. While the exact features are still under wraps, they are expected to include:
Delayed Match Start: Hidden server IDs and randomized lobby entry times.
Anonymity Mode: Masking player names and cosmetic skins for others in the lobby to prevent targeted hunting.
The "January 13" Update: Balance & Macro Fixes
While the anti-cheat rollout will happen in stages, a major balance patch is expected on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Key adjustments include:
| Weapon / Issue | Expected Change |
| Trigger Nade | A significant nerf to damage radius and "instant-kill" potential. |
| The Kettle | Introduction of a fire-rate cap to prevent players from using macros to achieve inhuman shooting speeds. |
| The Stitcher | Re-tuning of its upgrade scaling to allow rarer weapons like the Bobcat to feel more competitive. |
| Macro Abuse | New server-side checks to detect and kick players using software to bypass weapon fire-rate limits. |
"Gear Refunds" for Victims
Embark reminded players that the Abnormal Match Compensation system is active. If you are killed by a player who is later confirmed to be a cheater, your lost loot and resources will be automatically returned to your mailbox in the Raider Den.
Do you think the new "Streamer Tools" are a positive step for the game's health, or are you more concerned about the general anti-cheat effectiveness for the average player?
0 comments:
Post a Comment