New ARC Raiders the update introduces several changes not mentioned in the patch notes, including several shadow nerfs and another improvement to the hatching animation. While it's currently unclear whether these updates were accidentally omitted from the official changelog, some of them have proven to be controversial among ARC Raiders players.
Identified by version number 1.13.0, the first major update for 2026 ARC Raiders The patch appeared on PC and consoles on January 27. The patch introduced a new matchmaking option and several activities, among other tweaks to maps, mobs, loot, quests, and sound.
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ARC Raiders 1.13.0 Silently made looting even more annoying
While the patch notes attached to the new update contain dozens of changes, they don't appear to be exhaustive. Early reports from players indicate that build 1.13.0 introduces several unspecified changes with a significant impact on gameplay. Among them is a change to the hatching animation, which has now been slowed down again. The same goes for the looting action, which is said to be significantly slower even after getting the appropriate upgrades from ARC Raiders skill tree. Specifically, the amount of time it takes for items to be revealed after searching a container has been increased, making the looting process more difficult. This unannounced change has already sparked complaints from some players on social media.
This isn't the first time the popular extraction shooter has made quiet changes to its loot mechanics. One of ARC Raiders updates that went live in mid-December 2025 previously had the opposite effect, speeding up container searches and item detection. Based on this new wave of player reports, it would appear that patch 1.13.0 has reverted these changes, so that the action is now roughly as fast as it was in December at every level of the Looter's Instincts skill upgrade. With Embark offering no confirmation of any change, the reason for this conflicting sequence of edits remains unclear. One possibility is that the developer intentionally reversed the earlier telemetry based tweaks and opted for slower loot due to some high level design goals. Another is that the earlier speed boost was unintentional, so the January 2026 patch was more of a correction than a balance adjustment.
ARC Raiders quietly nerfed some weapons
ARC Raiders players are also reporting shadow nerfs to Kettle, Venator, and Burletta after the late January 2026 update. This change marks the second nerf for the Kettle in as many weeks, as the semi-auto rifle previously received a similar reduction with patch 1.10.0 on January 13th. At the time, the Swedish developer said the modification was aimed at reducing the abuse of macros – automated input sequences supported by some keyboards, mice and controllers, as well as a driver for third-party input software.
In a previous update, Embark stated that Kettle's original rate of fire was “realistically achievable” only with a macro, as average players couldn't click fast enough to achieve it. As such, the rate has been lowered to promote a fairer gaming environment. It remains unclear if this second shadow nerf reflects the same reasoning. Regardless, the Kettle's rate of fire is now 360 rounds per minute, almost half of the original ROF's 600.
The 1.13.0 patch notes mention two new Epic Augments that have been added to the game, but without elaborating. According to recent player reports, these vaguely documented expansions are primarily available through blueprints. One of them is the Looting Mk. 3 Safekeeper, which adds a safe pocket to store any item. The second is the Tactical Mk. 3 Revival that restores one HP every five seconds but pauses for 30 seconds after the player takes damage. It has an integrated Defib slot and is only compatible with light shields.
- Released
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October 30, 2025
- ESRB
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Teen / Violence, Blood
