Arc Raiders players slam XP nerfs as Embark cuts miniboss rewards

Arc Raiders just received a patch that trims experience gains from several minibosses and loot sources, and many players say leveling now takes far longer for short play sessions. The changes are detailed in the official Steam patch notes and have stirred a mix of complaints and defenses across the community.

The most concrete adjustments hit four Arcs. Bastion and Bombardier now award less XP when defeated or looted. The Rocketeer and the Leaper also have reduced XP on defeat but their individual loot parts – the Rocketeer thruster and the Leaper leg – now grant noticeably more XP when picked up. For the complete list, see the official Steam patch notes.

Players who play short sessions are the loudest. They argue that fights against minibosses felt like reliable XP bursts for casual runs, and shrinking that reward makes progress grindy if someone only has an hour or two to play. Threaded posts on community boards repeatedly describe the change as a hit to casual progression.

Other voices push back. Some note that the net effect is uneven rather than universal. If a player rarely fights Bastions the reduced XP barely moves the needle. One frequent suggestion is that container farming in buildings remains the most efficient XP route for many players, so the meta for safe, short runs has not vanished.

There is also a camp that says the reductions are part of a broader balancing strategy to slow extreme short-term power curves and protect long-term progression. That viewpoint points out that highly engaged players will always accumulate more hours and rank up faster, and that balance updates sometimes need to blunt that gap to keep the game healthy over time.

Arc Raiders still retains a sizable active base which makes these adjustments consequential for matchmaking and retention. For context on the game’s audience and previous milestones, see our earlier reporting on its player peaks and platform rollout, including 700,000 concurrent players across all platforms.

Community comments suggest this patch will prompt further tuning. Expect Embark to monitor progression metrics and player feedback and to push incremental tweaks until they find a balance that fits both short sessions and dedicated grinders.

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