ARC Raiders Teases One Enemy Will Be Escaping Its Current…

Embark Studios lead designer Virgil Watkins gives ARC Raiders players a tease about some of the upcoming changes to ARC enemies, including the Stella Montis exclusive Shredder. After a massive launch on October 30, 2025, ARC Raiders has managed to keep its strong momentum into 2026 thanks to continued updates, new content, and limited-time events. Going forward, Embark seems to have plenty more on the docket, aiming to hold on to its player base.

Known as Escalation, Embark Studios laid out 4 months of content coming to ARC Raiders in 2026. The Headwinds update kicked off on January 23, adding a new matchmaking option and a map condition for players, but February's Shrouded Sky content looks to be even more substantial with a new ARC enemy, Raider Deck, map update, and more. Flashpoint in March will provide the fan favorite rooster, Scrappy, with an update alongside another new map condition and ARC enemy. Finally, April's Riven Tides offers players a brand-new map and condition, as well as a brand-new large ARC threat, likely the rumored Emperor. Outside these big content drops, Embark is going to continue to provide updates, cosmetics, and other changes to keep players guessing.

arc raiders free loadout changes possibility

ARC Raiders Free Loadouts Could Be Changing, Say Devs

A lead developer at Embark Studios comments on the possibility of some major changes to the free loadout system in ARC Raiders.

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By Kyle Knight

ARC Raiders Shredder Likely Escaping Stella Montis

In an interview, Embark Studios' Virgil Watkins discussed how the studio is considering how to keep things interesting for players, who have seemingly developed strategies and figured out how to counter-attack patterns with ease that mitigate the difficulty of battles against endgame level bosses in ARC Raiders. While the ARC Raiders design lead admitted that the studio is currently happy with the current loop of how players approach these major foes between crafting specific gear to counter the likes of Queens and Matriarchs. However, Watkins also felt like the current loop won't last forever, in terms of keeping players engaged.

Part of "mixing things up" means taking existing experiences and adding new twists to them, or finding ways to "escalate the experience for the player on the PvE side" of the game. For example, Watkins mentioned the current Shredder ARC enemy in Stella Montis. While the robot is currently exclusive to that map, Watkins teased, "I think it is a promise. They'll figure out how to get out of there eventually." With Embark looking to evolve the world and strategies that players need to employ, letting the Shredder roam free on other maps like the narrow streets of Buried City or the confined underground sections of Blue Gate. Imagine these enemies stalking the subway tunnels as well, adding a major challenge for those looking to extract.

However, moving Shredders outside of Stella Montis is likely an easier solution compared to some of the other updates the studio is considering. While the studio is careful not to break the game by making too many radical changes, players might soon find "variant" types of common enemies roaming the streets and fields. Embark is currently looking at making adjustments to certain enemies like the Wasp to change expected behavior for players, while also making sure these new enemy types actually serve a purpose in the game's ecosystem. Embark doesn't simply want to recolor an enemy just for the sake of having it there, but to do something a bit different with a purpose.

Watkins was also careful to not confirm too many new details, especially when discussing the idea of introducing another "six-legged giant spidery robot." Players may have seen massive ARC machines roaming in the background of maps, seemingly towering over the current enemies in the game. Known to the ARC Raiders community as Emperors, these gigantic machines could soon be on their way to hunt players, as evidenced by one of the points in April's Riven Tides content, which teases the arrival of a large new ARC enemy. For now, players will need to wait for official word from Embark, but it's clear that the studio wants to keep players on their toes and combat strategies evolving with each new update.

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