27 January 2026

ARC Raiders Highwinds Update Made Secret Changes Not Mentioned in Patch Notes

By newsgame

The new ARC Raiders update introduces several changes not mentioned in its patch notes, including a couple of shadow nerfs and yet another tweak to the hatch animation. While it is currently unclear whether these novelties were omitted from the official changelog by accident, some of them have proven to be controversial among ARC Raiders players.

Identified by version number 1.13.0, the first big 2026 update for ARC Raiders rolled out across PC and consoles on January 27. The patch introduced a new matchmaking option and several activities, on top of tweaking maps, mobs, loot, quests, and audio, among other elements.

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ARC Raiders 1.13.0 Quietly Made Looting More Annoying

While the patch notes attached to the new update list dozens of changes, it would appear they are not exhaustive. Early player reports indicate that build 1.13.0 introduces several unlisted adjustments with notable gameplay impact. Among them is a change to the hatch animation, which has now been made slower again. Ditto for the looting action, which is reportedly significantly slower even after acquiring the relevant upgrades from the ARC Raiders skill tree. Specifically, the time it takes for items to be revealed after searching a container has been increased, making the looting process more cumbersome. This unannounced change has already prompted complaints from some players on social media.

This is not the first time that the popular extraction shooter has made quiet changes to looting mechanics. One of the ARC Raiders updates that rolled out in mid-December 2025 previously had the opposite effect, speeding up container searches and item reveals. Based on this new wave of player reports, it would appear that the 1.13.0 patch reverted those changes, so the action is now roughly as fast as it was in December at every upgrade level of the Looter’s Instincts skill. With Embark offering no acknowledgment of either change, the rationale behind this conflicting sequence of adjustments remains unclear. One possibility is that the developer deliberately reversed the earlier tweak based on telemetry data, opting for a slower looting experience due to some high-level design goals. Another is that the earlier speed increase was unintentional, making the January 2026 patch a correction rather than a balance adjustment.

ARC Raiders Quietly Nerfed Some Guns

ARC Raiders players are also reporting fire rate shadow nerfs to the Kettle, Venator, and Burletta following the late January 2026 update. The change marks the second nerf to the Kettle in just a few weeks, as the semi-automatic rifle previously received a similar reduction with patch 1.10.0 on January 13. At the time, the Swedish developer said the adjustment aimed to curb the abuse of macros—automated sequences of inputs supported by certain keyboards, mice, and controllers, as well as third-party software that acts as a driver for input accessories.

The previous update saw Embark state that the Kettle’s original fire rate was only “realistically reachable” through macro use, as average players could not click fast enough to achieve it. As such, the rate was lowered to promote a fairer playing environment. It remains unclear whether this second shadow nerf reflects the same reasoning. Regardless, the Kettle’s fire rate now stands at 360 rounds per minute, nearly half of its original 600 ROF.

The 1.13.0 patch notes mention two new Epic Augments being added to the game, but without elaborating. According to recent player reports, these vaguely documented Augments are primarily obtainable via Blueprints. One of them is Looting Mk. 3 Safekeeper, which adds a safe pocket that can store any item. The other is Tactical Mk. 3 Revival, which 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.