The stale scent of burnt circuits still clung to my gear as the squad debriefed. Comms crackled with reports of stranger ARC behavior after the Headwinds update. Had Embark truly fixed the Spotter issue, or were we walking into another digital deathtrap?
The Headwinds update has landed in ARC Raiders, marking the first major patch of the year.
While a new map isn’t part of the package, the update brings a host of changes, including a new map condition. Let’s quickly run through the full 1.13.0 patch notes to see what awaits.
ARC Raiders Headwinds update 1.13.0 patch notes
We got an early peek at what to expect from the Headwinds update. The complete patch notes give us a clearer picture. Here are the highlights.
- Solo vs Squads as a matchmaking option
- Hunt down groups of ARC for rewards to build a new display case.
- Bird City map condition, exclusive to Buried City.
- Seven new quests
- Two new types of Epic Augments
Here’s a breakdown of all the content and bug fixes included in this update.
Achievements
- Fixed an issue where progress toward the “Enemy of my Enemy” achievement wasn’t being tracked.
- Fixed an issue where the “Hook, Line, and Sinker” achievement wasn’t tracking correctly.
ARC
- Improved ARC traversal of obstacles.
- Leaper
- The Leaper is now better at walking after losing its legs.
- Shredder
- Dead Shredders are now correctly labeled as scavengeable when pinged.
- Snitch
- Fixed an issue where Snitches would stop calling down ARC if players threw a Lure Grenade during the call.
- Snitches will no longer make noise after being destroyed.
- Spotter
- Fixed an issue where Spotters would follow players into buildings and get stuck.
- Tick
- When grabbed by a Tick, players now have a brief window to dodge-roll and remove it.
Audio
- Fixed an issue where emotes were missing voice lines in the store and customization preview.
- Fixed voice chat cutting out in some cases.
- Improved voice chat connection.
Maps
- General
- Reduced the types of containers that can spawn condition-specific blueprints during Electromagnetic Storm, Hidden Bunker, and Locked Gate.
- Raised the chances of finding higher-tier weapons in weapon cases.
- Slightly lowered the chances of finding Matriarch and Queen unique parts in their armor pieces.
- Fixed multiple containers across all maps that weren’t interactable.
- Fixed a raider hatch timing bug and camera getting stuck when the interaction fails.
- Dam Battlegrounds
- Tweaked some of the cliffs around the raider outpost tower on the Dam where players tended to get stuck.
- Adjusted the elevator shaft collision to prevent players from getting stuck on the Dam Control Tower.
- Fixed collision issues inside the Pattern House on Dam Battlegrounds.
- Fixed an issue where players could reach an unintended location in Water Treatment.
- Buried City
- Removed an invisible wall in a nook beneath the Buried City highway.
- Removed the musical puzzle from Buried City – the guitar is now purchasable at Shani’s.
- Spaceport
- Fixed an issue where rocks and grass would float in the air on Spaceport.
- Adjusted ARC spawn locations during Hidden Bunker on bunker antennas.
- Stella Montis
- Fixed the Seedvault extraction glitch on Stella Montis that allowed players to remain in the extraction point after it had closed.
- The Night Raid lighting has been updated with most lamps turned off.
- Fixed 40 locations on Stella Montis where players would frequently get stuck.
- Fixed the Bastion in Stella Montis being able to spawn out of bounds and attack players through walls.
Will ARC Raiders have a sequel?
Currently, there’s no official word about a sequel. However, the changes introduced in the Headwinds update, like the refined ARC behavior and map tweaks, suggest a continued investment in the game’s core experience. This is Embark laying the foundation, brick by digital brick, for the game’s future.
What are the new Epic Augments in ARC Raiders?
The Headwinds update introduces two new types of Epic Augments. The patch notes don’t detail their specific effects, but you can expect them to provide substantial boosts to your raider’s abilities, perhaps altering your loadout strategy completely.
How does the Solo vs Squads matchmaking work?
This new matchmaking option allows solo players to queue up against squads. While playing solo might seem like bringing a knife to a gunfight, the increased rewards for taking down coordinated teams could make it worth the risk. The key to winning is understanding how teams communicate and coordinating ambushes.
There are plenty more bug fixes, updates to the anti-cheat, and other tweaks that can be found here on the full patch notes.
Is this the update that finally brings ARC Raiders into the light, or just another coat of paint on a crumbling wall?