ARC Raiders Hit With Major Server Issues Amid Ongoing DDOS Attacks

🚨 Server Stability & DDOS Attacks

Embark Studios has confirmed that ARC Raiders and The Finals are currently experiencing extensive DDOS attacks.
Players are being advised to avoid playing both games to prevent further loss of gear and progression.
Connection problems include lag, disconnections, and failed matches, making both titles nearly unplayable at times.
Reports from players show issues like sudden deaths, rubber-banding, and failed extractions due to server instability.

🌪️ Headwinds Update Brings New Features — and New Problems

The Headwinds update introduced new content, including:
- A new map condition for Buried City.
- A long-term player progression project.
- New Augments, including one that allows players to store a weapon in their safe pocket.
Despite the new features, many players were unable to properly experience the update due to connection failures.
Lost gear and rolled-back progress have caused frustration across the community.

🛠️ Hotfix Incoming to Revert Unintended Changes

Embark confirmed that some weapon changes were not intended and will be reverted.
Affected weapons include fan favorites like:
- Kettle
- Venator
Players also discovered that looting times were accidentally increased.
The upcoming hotfix will:
- Restore original fire rates.
- Revert looting time changes.
- Address unintended balance adjustments from the Headwinds patch.

🎯 Community Concerns Around New Matchmaking Option

A new matchmaking option allows solo players to face full teams.
Many players are questioning the purpose of this feature.
The only incentive currently offered is extra XP.
Since many active players are already max level, the risk-to-reward ratio has been widely criticized.
Embark has not yet addressed feedback related to this matchmaking change.

🧠 What Players Should Do Right Now

Avoid logging into ARC Raiders and The Finals until Embark confirms stability.
Monitor official Discord and social channels for updates on DDOS mitigation.
Wait for the hotfix to go live before resuming progression-heavy gameplay.
Consider holding off on high-risk runs to avoid losing valuable gear.

🏁 Final Thoughts

ARC Raiders’ Headwinds update was meant to kick off the year with meaningful new content, but ongoing DDOS attacks have overshadowed the experience. While Embark is actively working on solutions and rolling out hotfixes, players are currently caught in the middle of server instability and unintended balance changes. Once the attacks are mitigated and fixes are fully deployed, ARC Raiders should be in a better position to deliver the experience players were expecting from this major update.