Developer Embark has pushed a new hotfix across all platforms for Arc Raiders, aiming to stem a tide of item duplication exploits that have plagued the game's economy. The update follows reports of players flooding the game with duplicated high-rarity weapons and stackable items like rare ducks.
Community lead Ossen confirmed the patch in a post on the official Arc Raiders Discord server, noting that the update also fixes a specific UI bug on the Expedition screen. Previously, players on their fourth Expedition were incorrectly seeing Skill Points listed instead of the intended Mystery Rewards.
While the developer works to patch these issues, Ossen issued a stern warning regarding the use of such exploits. “As we stated before regarding the use of exploits, we will continue issuing bans on accounts that have been gaining significant advantage,” the post read.
The prevalence of these "dupes" has become a point of frustration for the community. Players have identified methods—often involving the precise timing of dropping items—that allow for the multiplication of loadout gear. These exploits, while distinct from more malicious forms of cheating like wall-hacking or lag-switching, still impact the game's balance. When players have infinite access to consumables, utility items, and top-tier weapons, it diminishes the risk and effort required to succeed in the field.
The irony of the current situation is not lost on the player base. While drawing attention to a dupe often forces a quicker response from developers, it also spreads the method to more users, further destabilizing the in-game economy. This has proven particularly noticeable given the current size of the game's population.
Embark’s approach to these issues is complicated by the lack of a global economy or auction house. Although the studio tested an auction house system during early development, they opted to remove it, citing concerns that it shifted the focus of the game away from its intended loop and toward coin accumulation. Without a centralized trading hub, the impact of duping is largely contained to individual player loadouts and engagement balance rather than a market-wide collapse.
This patch arrives alongside recent efforts to refine the Arc Raiders experience, including the addition of new matchmaking features designed to let players switch between solo “friendly questing” and adrenaline-fueled PvP trio games.