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

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So, I’ve been playing the new ARC Raiders update, and honestly, there’s a bunch of stuff they didn’t mention in the patch notes. It looks like they quietly nerfed a couple of things, and they also tweaked the hatch animation again! I’m not sure if these changes were accidental omissions from the official list, but a lot of us players are pretty annoyed about them.

On January 27th, a major update for the game ARC Raiders – version 1.13.0 – was released on both PC and consoles. This update added a new way to find matches with other players, as well as several new things to do in the game. It also included improvements to maps, enemies, rewards, missions, sound effects, and more.

ARC Raiders 1.13.0 Quietly Made Looting More Annoying

Although the latest update’s patch notes detail many changes, players are discovering some unlisted adjustments. It seems update 1.13.0 includes changes not mentioned in the official notes, and these are affecting gameplay. For example, the hatch and looting animations have been slowed down, even for players who’ve upgraded their skills in the ARC Raiders skill tree. Specifically, it now takes longer to see what’s inside containers while looting, making the process slower and more frustrating. This unexpected change has already led to complaints from players online.

Players have noticed changes to how quickly they can collect loot in the popular shooter, and this isn’t the first time. An update in December 2025 actually sped up looting, making containers easier and faster to search. However, the recent 1.13.0 patch seems to have undone that change, bringing the looting speed back to what it was in December, regardless of a player’s Looter’s Instincts skill level. The developers at Embark haven’t said anything about these changes, so it’s unclear why they happened. It’s possible they intentionally slowed things down based on player data, or that the earlier speed boost was a mistake that this patch fixed.

ARC Raiders Quietly Nerfed Some Guns

Players of ARC Raiders have noticed that the firing speed of the Kettle, Venator, and Burletta weapons seems to have been quietly reduced in an update released in late January 2026. This is the second time the Kettle has been nerfed in a short period, following a similar adjustment on January 13th with patch 1.10.0. The developers, a Swedish studio, explained that these changes are intended to prevent players from unfairly using macros – automated button presses enabled by certain gaming equipment and software.

In a previous update, the developers of Embark explained that the Kettle’s initial firing speed was too fast for most players to achieve without using special software (macros). To make the game fairer, they reduced the firing rate. It’s not yet clear if this latest, unannounced change was for the same reason. Currently, the Kettle fires 360 rounds per minute, which is almost half of its original rate of 600.

I was so excited to see the 1.13.0 update notes mention two new Epic Augments, but they didn’t give us many details! From what other players are saying, you mostly get these by finding Blueprints. One is called Looting Mk. 3 Safekeeper – basically, it gives you a safe pocket to store anything you find. The other is Tactical Mk. 3 Revival, which slowly heals you – one HP every five seconds. There’s a catch though: if you take any damage, it needs 30 seconds to recharge. It also has a slot for a Defib, but it only works with Light shields, which is a little annoying.

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2026-01-27 23:42