ARC Raiders Update 2.2 Patch Notes: Hydra Buff, Turbine Spawns and the PvE Test's End

Embark Studios rolled out ARC Raiders Store Update 2.2.0 on Tuesday, October 20. The official patch notes list a new Wreck Set in the store, a stronger Hydra, much more reliable ARC Turbine spawns and a long list of Frigate and Grappling Hook fixes. Restart your game to download it. The patch landed on the same day the PvE matchmaking toggle test ended, and Embark now says it will share what comes next in November.

ARC changes: the Hydra hits harder

The biggest combat changes target the robots themselves. According to Embark:

• Sliding should help you dodge again. Some ARC were more accurate against sliding players than intended, and their aim now accounts for slides properly.
• The Hydra spreads its fire across targets more often, as originally designed. Embark raised its base damage to make up for that, and also fixed its trouble hitting raiders at close range.
• ARC now react when you interact with Gondola Transceivers, so those objectives will get noisier.

Turbine farmers, change maps

ARC Turbines now spawn in almost every session in Buried City, Riven Tides, Blue Gate and Spaceport, where before they only had a chance to appear. Dam Battlegrounds goes the other way: Turbines are gone from standard sessions and most minor map conditions, per the patch notes.

Frozen Trail's Pendola Pass also gets a bit more enemy presence, better lighting and reflections, and fixes for spots where players could get stuck or fall through the terrain. That includes a collision bug inside the Fallen Emperor. (New to the map? Start with our Pendola Pass guide.)

Movement, Frigate and quality of life

• Wall runs: jumping off a wall now requires holding back, which should cut down on accidental jumps. You can also move from a wall climb straight onto ladders and ziplines.
• Grappling Hook: smoother rappelling, more reliable auto-vaulting on steep slopes and better rope-climb entry near the ground.
• Frigate: no more getting ejected from a falling cargo drop, instant knockouts while riding on its side, or burns from the thrusters during descent. Memory fixes also target rare crashes in the cargo hold.
• Items and UI: Tether Launchers can be repaired mid-raid again, Reward Pass Feats were rebalanced (new ones added, some removed), the Expedition Vault tab is gone, and the weapon bench button now says "Amplify" instead of "Ascend."

EGW's rundown also highlights the quest fixes: "To the Skies" can now be finished on any map. Embark's known issues include a rare bug that launches Grappling Hook users upward at high speed, plus instability or crashes for some Xbox players.

The PvE test is over. Now what?

The toggle test ran from October 13 to October 20 (11:00 CEST, or 5:00 AM ET, at both ends), as Embark announced. In its wrap-up post, the studio says players logged more than 30 million PvE rounds and admits the test was "polarizing." Embark hasn't said whether PvE will come back. It says any decision will put "the overall health and enjoyability of the game" first. For background, see our coverage of PvE griefers and Embark's "dad gamers" comment and the earlier Hotfix 2.1.1 dupe fix.

What's next

• Now: share feedback in the PvE-test-feedback channel on Embark's Discord.
• October 22: a survey starts going out to a representative sample of players.
• November: Embark expects to share more about PvE's future.
• This week: check our Oct 19–25 ARC Raiders schedule for Trials and events.