ARC Raiders has banned tens of thousands of cheaters as Embark Studios ramps up anti-cheat enforcement. The Cold Snap map modifier is returning, giving players challenges to tackle ahead of the upcoming Shrouded Sky update.
ARC Raiders Banned "Tens of Thousands" Amid Cheater Crackdown
Embark Studios CEO Speaks on Their Banning Process
ARC Raiders has cracked down on a massive number of cheaters, as Embark Studios ramps up enforcement across its live-service shooter. The recent waves mark one of the studio’s largest anti-cheat actions to date.
The crackdown is not a sudden reaction, but the result of a long-running anti-cheat effort that Embark has been building since launch. According to CEO Patrick Söderlund in an interview with IGN, cheating was minimal at first but became more common as the game’s audience grew.
Söderlund explained that cheating typically affects between 0.1% and 1% of players in large multiplayer games, and that Embark has been "pretty aggressive" in responding, treating anti-cheat as an ongoing arms race rather than a problem that can be solved once and for all.
The studio operates a tiered enforcement system, with penalties ranging from short suspensions for minor violations to permanent bans for severe or repeat offenses. Söderlund emphasized that bans must be handled carefully to avoid punishing innocent players, and that Embark has processes in place to review and reverse actions when mistakes occur.
Embark has also committed to returning items lost to confirmed cheaters, a policy the studio outlined shortly after launch to ensure that players aren’t permanently disadvantaged. When items are returned, players see a message saying their losses were due to unfair play but have been restored, reinforcing that the game is about skill and teamwork, not exploits.
Even with safeguards, he acknowledged that anti-cheat enforcement will always generate backlash, as some banned players will insist they did nothing wrong. Still, Embark says it will continue to pursue anyone found exploiting the game.
ARC Raiders Brings Back Cold Snap to Map Conditions Pool
Aside from eradicating cheaters for a better gameplay experience, ARC Raiders also added some content to keep the game fresh for players. Embark Studios is bringing back the fan-favorite Cold Snap map modifier. First released in December as a limited-time event, Cold Snap adds snowy weather that slowly drains players’ HP, forcing them to manage their health carefully while traversing the bitter cold. The modifier returns to regular map rotations on February 10.
The return is separate from the upcoming Shrouded Sky update, which will introduce new map conditions, an ARC threat, a raider deck, a player project, map updates, and a new expedition window. While the update’s release date has not been announced, reintroducing Cold Snap simply expands the variety of challenges players can encounter in ARC Raiders’ rotating maps.
ARC Raiders is now available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. For more information on the game, check out our article below!
Sources:
Embark Studios' CEO Patrick Söderlund Interview with IGN
ARC Raiders Escalation Roadmap Site
ARC Raiders Cold Snap Return Announcement
