ARC Raiders developers are preparing balance adjustments for the January 13 patch.

ARC Raiders Developers Prepare Balance Changes for January 13th Patch

Lead Designer of ARC Raiders, Virgil Watkins, has shared details about the game's upcoming update. The Embark Studios team intends to make significant balance adjustments, focusing on two key gameplay elements: the "Kettle" submachine gun and trigger grenades.

Regarding the "Kettle" submachine gun, the developers plan to reduce its maximum rate of fire. This step resulted from analyzing gameplay videos, which revealed that in the current version, the weapon allows for eliminating opponents almost instantly when firing at its maximum rate. After the changes, such tactics will lose their effectiveness, and the submachine gun itself will occupy a more balanced place in the overall combat mechanics.

Trigger grenades are also in for significant changes. In the upcoming patch, the developers will revise the damage calculation principle based on throw distance—players will have to calculate the trajectory more carefully. Additionally, the delay before explosion will be adjusted: the team will eliminate the situation where grenades detonated almost immediately upon contact with a surface.

All these changes will be included in the balance patch, the release of which is scheduled for January 13th.

It is worth noting that ARC Raiders has been receiving regular updates since its release. For example, in December, the Cold Snap modifier was added to the game, which significantly impacted combat tactics. This element creates a strong frost effect, reduces visibility, and muffles footsteps, forcing players to adapt to new conditions.