ARC Raiders Players Aren’t Happy With Recent Item Nerfs

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The recent “Shrouded Sky” update for ARC Raiders includes a lot of new content, but players are upset about balance changes that have significantly increased the cost to craft popular items like the Wolfpack, Deadline, and Trailblazer. Many are criticizing these adjustments, questioning decisions made by the developers at Embark.

On February 24th, Embark launched the second of four planned updates for ARC Raiders, as detailed in their roadmap for 2026. Following the January ‘Headwinds’ update – which added a 1v3 matchmaking mode, a unique condition for the Buried City map, and other features – this new patch introduces a dangerous ‘Hurricane’ map condition. Players can also enjoy a new Raider Deck, fresh cosmetic items, two new enemy types, and more. However, the biggest buzz in the ARC Raiders community is currently around the game’s recent balance changes.

ARC Raiders Players Criticize New Nerfs

The recent ‘Shrouded Sky’ update for ARC Raiders includes significant changes to weapons and items, according to the official patch notes. While weapons like the Stitcher, Kettle, and Venator have been weakened, players are most confused by increased crafting material requirements for items such as the Deadline, Trailblazer, Wolfpack, Vita Spray, and Showstopper. A popular post on the game’s subreddit, with almost 2,000 upvotes and many comments, expresses frustration and questions the reasoning behind these changes, as crafting these items now takes more resources.

Crafting the Deadline, a top choice for defeating the Queen or Matriarch in ARC Raiders, now requires one Comet Igniter, three Explosive Compounds, and two ARC Circuitries. The Wolfpack also received a change, now needing one Rocketeer Driver in addition to the Explosive Compound and two ARC Motion Cores previously required. One player joked, “It feels like nobody is bringing explosives to Queen raids anymore!” Another expressed confusion, saying, “I don’t understand the reasoning behind the Wolfpack/Rocketeer Driver change.”

Players are puzzled by a recent change to the Vita Spray, a valuable item that steadily restores health for both the user and teammates. Previously, crafting a Vita Spray required three Antiseptic and one Canister. Now, the recipe has been altered to include a Tick Pod, leaving many confused about the change. One player questioned the logic behind needing Tick Pods, while another expressed disappointment, stating the item is now ineffective.

Despite the issues, there’s some good news for ARC Raiders players. The developers have adjusted the power of several free weapons to better match how rare and expensive they are to craft. Players have been pointing out that common weapons like the Stitcher were actually more effective than rarer, more powerful guns like the Bobcat. To fix this, the Stitcher’s damage has been reduced – headshots now do less damage (2.5x to 1.75x), its base damage is slightly lower (7 to 6.5), and shots spread out more. The Kettle’s damage was also lowered (10 to 8.5), and the Venator received similar adjustments: its headshot multiplier went from 2.5x to 2x, and its base damage dropped from 9 to 8.

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2026-02-24 20:04