Embark Insists You ‘Profit Way More’ When You Join ARC Raiders Games Late

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Many ARC Raiders players have noticed a frustrating problem since the game launched in late October 2025: it’s difficult to join raids already in progress. While this isn’t a bug – it’s how the game was intentionally designed – it’s disappointing for players who prefer to participate in complete raids and longer gameplay sessions.

I was really happy to hear from Embark Studios recently! They acknowledged that a lot of us are worried about people joining raids late and getting an unfair advantage. They basically said they understand it’s a problem because those latecomers end up getting way more rewards for less effort than the people who were there from the start. It sounds like they’re working on fixing that, which is great to hear!

Really?

Why Do You Join Late in ARC Raiders?

ARC Raiders is designed so players can join even after a match has already started, typically within the first ten to fifteen minutes. This is intentional – the developers at Embark Studios want to keep lobbies active and prevent them from becoming empty. Starting with a 30-minute raid timer, the game would quickly become deserted if everyone joined at the beginning. Allowing new players to join later ensures there are always others to team up with and battle alongside.

Players who join a game after it’s already started often feel rushed, like there isn’t enough time to actually participate and enjoy themselves.

Starting a raid late on a large map like Spaceport is usually a disadvantage. It can take a long time to reach the other side, especially if that’s where you need to go, potentially ruining your chances of success.

In a recent Games Radar interview, Embark Studios’ design lead, Virgin Watkins, said the team knows about this issue and is monitoring it closely.

I’ve been hearing a lot about people starting a free trial, realizing they don’t have the time to actually use it, and then just giving up – and honestly, it’s a bummer! We totally get that frustration. It’s definitely not ideal when someone starts something with good intentions and then has to abandon it because life gets in the way. It’s something we’ve been thinking about a lot – how the data around trial sign-ups doesn’t always match up with what people are actually experiencing.

It’s interesting how players view joining a game late. Many think all the good items are already taken, but surprisingly, players who join later often end up with more valuable loot and benefit economically more than those who started earlier.

Watkins points out that starting ARC Raiders later isn’t a disadvantage. It actually allows you to benefit from the aftermath of battles – scavenging dropped items from defeated enemies and collecting any leftover loot. He explains you’ll likely join raids that are winding down, giving you more space and time to loot in peace.

He explained that all choices regarding ARC Raiders were intentional and made with positive goals in mind.

Okay, well my plan A isn’t possible. I’m gonna do my plan B or C now instead.

We’ve designed the game with lots of items and resources available, and placed them strategically so players always have something to find and things to do.

Embark understands it’s frustrating when players join a game late and find they can’t achieve their initial goals, and they’re working to address this issue and improve the experience.

Written by

Grant Taylor-Hill

Senior Editor

Grant’s love of video games began in his earliest years with the Amstrad CPC, even before he could walk well. He’s now a skilled gamer across many different platforms, and his passion for gaming continues to grow.

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2026-01-21 02:19