Embark Studios has postponed the weekly update for ARC Raiders, shifting patch 1.23.0 from April 7 to April 8, 2026. The delay was announced by a community manager on the official ARC Raiders Discord server, with the patch now scheduled to deploy at the usual time on Wednesday, April 8 (2:00 AM PT / 5:00 AM ET / 10:00 AM BST).
The studio has maintained a consistent cadence of smaller Tuesday patches to address bugs, improve quality of life, and deliver minor content additions between its larger monthly updates. This short 24-hour delay is relatively minor and should not significantly disrupt player schedules, but it does reflect the team’s ongoing effort to ensure patches meet quality standards before going live.
While full patch notes have not yet been released, Embark confirmed that the April 8 update will introduce the highly anticipated Vanguard Set, a new cosmetic bundle available for purchase with Raider Tokens in the in-game store. The patch is also expected to include a range of bug fixes and general improvements, though no major new content, weapon adjustments, or map changes are anticipated.
Players who have been saving Raider Tokens will finally be able to acquire the Vanguard Set once the servers come back online after the short maintenance window. The set is part of Embark’s continued commitment to providing cosmetic variety and rewarding long-term players.
The delay comes amid growing calls from the community for fixes to a particularly frustrating bug introduced or exposed in the recent Flashpoint update. Players have reported that it is now impossible to remove a Tick enemy if it attaches while the character is holding a battery or field crate. Normally, players can use a dodge roll or the designated button to shake off the parasite, but this workaround fails under those specific conditions, often resulting in an unavoidable death and loss of loot.
The bug has already led to several “embarrassing” and emotionally frustrating deaths, as one player described it. Community members have experimented with rebinding the drop action, but so far no reliable workaround exists. Many are urging Embark to prioritize a fix in an upcoming patch, ideally before the larger Riven Tides update at the end of the month.
Separately, some players continue to request a reversion of the Rocketeer enemy’s sound design, which was changed in Flashpoint. The new audio is said to sound too similar to the Vaporizer, causing confusion during chaotic fights. While this is a smaller issue, it has generated noticeable feedback in community discussions.
Despite the minor delay to this week’s patch, Embark’s broader post-launch support plan remains ambitious. The studio has committed to supporting ARC Raiders for the next 10 years, with regular content drops and quality-of-life improvements. The Flashpoint update on March 31 delivered the challenging Close Scrutiny map condition, the deadly Vaporizer enemy, two new weapons, and significant crafting improvements, keeping players engaged.
The next major content drop, Riven Tides, is expected at the end of April and will be the final major update of the first half of 2026 according to the official roadmap. It is anticipated to include a brand-new map, a new map condition, and a large-scale ARC enemy (widely speculated to be the Emperor). This update is expected to address some of the current endgame concerns raised by production director Caio Braga, who recently acknowledged the need for more challenging content for players who have reached the later stages of the game.
Since launching in October 2025, ARC Raiders has been a commercial and critical success. The game sold millions of copies in its first few months, earned rave reviews, and won Best Multiplayer at The Game Awards 2025. It continues to maintain a healthy player base on Steam and across consoles months after release, a notable achievement in the competitive extraction shooter genre.
Embark’s transparent communication and regular updates have helped sustain goodwill even as players encounter occasional bugs. The studio’s willingness to listen to feedback as seen with the crafting overhaul in Flashpoint has been a key factor in the game’s ongoing positive reception.
While the April 8 patch will not bring major new content, it represents the studio’s continued commitment to polishing the experience between larger drops. Players are encouraged to keep an eye on the official Discord and patch notes for the full list of fixes and improvements once the update goes live.
With Riven Tides on the horizon and weekly patches addressing smaller issues, ARC Raiders remains on a solid trajectory. The community’s patience with the short delay to this week’s update is a testament to the overall goodwill the game has earned since launch. As long as Embark continues to deliver meaningful content and responsive support, the extraction shooter is well-positioned to thrive throughout 2026 and beyond.