Embark Studios released the Headwinds update for ARC Raiders yesterday, adding new systems and content including solo versus squads, Bird City, Open Parties, and additional features. Players have since reported multiple problems tied to the update, most notably a drop in looting speed and intermittent server instability.
GamesRadar+ reported that a skill intended to accelerate looting is now performing much more slowly for many players. The outlet cited player testing that showed about a 30 percent decrease in looting efficiency when using the affected ability. That slowdown appears widespread enough to have drawn formal attention from the developer.
Community staff have acknowledged the issue on official channels. Community admin Ossen said Embark is “actively investigating” the looting problem, and community manager Boirdie confirmed that “the team is aware of this, as it’s not intended.” These statements indicate the developer has triaged the reports and is looking into fixes.
Players also report server-side problems after the Headwinds update. Multiple users describe being unable to move shortly after loading into a raid, and other movement or animation glitches that block normal play. CharlieIntel shared an example of this behavior on X, which Embark has also flagged for investigation.
ARC Raiders is experiencing extremely unstable servers, with many players facing glitches and being unable to move if they load in
Embark says they are investigating the issue pic.twitter.com/8EdSs5XFJA
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) January 28, 2026
The Headwinds update bundles several changes that alter how raids and group play behave, which may be related to the bugs players are encountering. Embark previously acknowledged separate community concerns about cheating and said it planned changes to detection and bans; a consolepcgaming article notes the studio is working on detection and ban updates as part of broader stability and integrity efforts.
Embark has not yet published a detailed timeline for a fix. Players experiencing the looting slowdown or movement errors are reporting them in official channels and social feeds while community staff gather data to reproduce and resolve the issues. Updates to the Headwinds feature set, and any forthcoming hotfixes or patch notes, will likely be posted to Embark’s official channels once the developer confirms root causes and solutions.
Follow developments on ARC Raiders on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram.
ARC Raiders
Developed by Embark Studios
ARC Raiders is a multiplayer, extraction adventure, set in a lethal future earth, ravaged by a mysterious mechanized threat known as ARC.
- Genre: Shooter
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
- Modes: Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release: 2025-10-30
- Publisher: Embark Studios
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Age Rating:
ESRB T / PEGI 16 / GRAC 15+ / USK 18 / CLASS_IND 14 / ACB M
- IGDB Rating: 89.7/100
