Wed Feb 25 12:50:00 UTC 2026: ### “Shrouded Sky” Update Brings Hurricane Chaos, Weapon Rebalancing, and Anti-Cheat Measures to ARC Raiders

The Story:
The “Shrouded Sky” update for ARC Raiders has brought significant changes to the game, introducing dynamic weather conditions with violent hurricanes and new ARC enemy types. The update also addresses weapon balance issues, particularly concerning semi-automatic fire rates and the performance disparity between low and high-tier weapons. Embark Studios has implemented adjustments to weapons like the Stitcher, Kettle, Venator, Aphelion, and Jupiter, aiming to refine their roles and effectiveness in combat. Alongside gameplay adjustments, the update includes enhanced anti-cheat measures, with stricter penalties for infractions and a renewed focus on detecting and addressing exploits.

Key Points:

  • Violent hurricanes are impacting gameplay, necessitating new combat strategies.
  • Two new ARC enemy types have been spotted in the Rust Belt.
  • Weapon fire-rate issues from update 1.13 have been addressed with input buffer adjustments.
  • Low-tier weapon balance is being adjusted to prevent them from outperforming high-tier weapons. Specific nerfs and buffs are applied to Stitcher, Kettle, Venator, Aphelion, and Jupiter.
  • Anti-cheat measures are being strengthened with stricter penalties, improved detection methods, and manual review of ban appeals.
  • Raider Tokens are available for in-game cosmetic purchases.

Key Takeaways:

  • The “Shrouded Sky” update significantly alters the ARC Raiders gameplay environment through dynamic weather and new enemy encounters.
  • Embark Studios is actively responding to player feedback and data analysis to refine weapon balance and address concerns about TTK (Time To Kill).
  • The studio is committed to combating cheating and maintaining a fair playing environment through multi-layered detection systems and stringent penalties.
  • Embark Studios is trying to land on a middle-ground between skill expression and responsiveness for semi-automatic weapons.

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