Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios has come under a considerable amount of fire lately. Reports of the number of cheaters in the game have been increasing, the Riven Tides update severely nerfed weapon durability, and we found out there won’t be another major update until October. Like the phoenix rising from the ashes, however, the team behind 2025’s best multiplayer shooter has brought the community back to its side.
Update 1.29.0 isn’t considered to be a “major” update — October’s Frozen Trail will include a new map, progression systems, and multiple new enemies, which puts it in that category — but it does feature “100% positive” changes, according to Arc Raiders players. “I’m sleep deprived right now and thought I must have been hallucinating, but no, they really did it,” said Reddit user sticknotstick in response to Embark’s new update.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly for PvP-focused Arc Raiders players, is the fact Denuvo anti-cheat is coming to the game. This is after Embark saw a “positive rollout” in The Finals, the studio’s multiplayer arena shooter. In Arc Raiders, it will initially roll out to a “limited player pool, with plans to expand after close monitoring.”
Denuvo comes with its fair share of controversies, especially around performance on Windows PC, but it sounds like Embark is aware of that: “We will not be using Denuvo’s Digital Rights Management (DRM) service, and are working to ensure minimal impact on performance.”
As for gameplay changes, there are two noteworthy additions, the first of which is the introduction of a new trader: Ermal. He doesn’t trade in raider tokens though, as his offerings come via exchanging rare items. And what he can grant is huge: extra stash space and the ability to retain up to five items when departing for an expedition. However, you must have a minimum of 200,000 value in the following items:
- Queen reactor
- Matriarch reactor
- Bombardier cell
- Assessor matrix
- Turbine compressor
- Leaper pulse unit
- Bastion cell
- Vaporizer regulator
- Rocketeer driver
To earn these perks, you must take down a heck of a lot of tough Arc enemies. He also offers a few different unique items on a rotating weekly schedule, all of which require different items. For example, a Tempest blueprint is available for a total value of 1 million tokens, which includes all the items listed above, along with any type of weapon.
Arc Raiders’ biggest update yet adds a new map and a massive new enemy
The Riven Tides update gives me multiple reasons to return to Arc Raiders
Finally, the other standout addition with this patch is a brand-new weapon: the Rascal. This is a grenade launcher that specializes in taking down Arc enemies, and isn’t as sought after as the Hullcracker. We’ve all experienced other players gunning us down the second we’ve brought the Hullcracker out, after all.
“Lightweight, compact, and easy to carry, this unconventional launcher packs a punch despite its… quirks,” reads the official blog. “While it’s slower to reload, and a bit unpredictable on the aim, the Rascal shines as a reliable side-arm for those who want anti-ARC firepower without the risk of lugging around a Hullcracker.”
As mentioned, player response to this patch has been phenomenal. “This feels like a breath of fresh air,” said Exe0n on Reddit. “I don’t think there is a single thing I dislike.” “Embark is cooking with this update, let’s go!” claims CPham93, while mr-zool revels in the fact the patch has also reversed some of the weapon durability changes introduced in April.
Check out the full list of changes and additions — of which there are many — at the official patch notes.
