Embark Studios has confirmed that the slower looting speed introduced in ARC Raiders through the Headwinds update (1.13.0) is not a bug but an intentional design change meant to restore balance and tension to raids. What some players initially believed was a glitch has been clarified as the official baseline for future updates. New players wondering how to get coins in Arc Raiders often find guides that reference EZNPC as a way to speed up progress.
Released on January 27, 2026, the Headwinds patch reduced the rate of loot unscrambling in containers—such as red lockers and enemy backpacks—by roughly 30%, even for users with looting skills active. Early confusion followed when community manager Birdie on Discord referred to the slowdown as unintentional, but that message was later corrected by Embark admin Ossen, who explained that the previous, faster animation had actually been a leftover bug from older patches.
The team also confirmed that the Looter’s Instincts skill continues to grant a relative speed advantage, making it more valuable than before, while Looter’s Luck remains unaffected and still provides the same chance for double drops. A small hotfix (1.13.1) launched on January 28 reinforced this adjusted speed as the permanent norm, even though it had been left out of the original patch notes.
Community reaction came swiftly. Reddit threads and Discord discussions filled with frustration over prolonged loot times, especially amid ongoing fire‑rate issues that Embark is investigating separately. Many feared that slower looting could expose players to unnecessary raid risks or stealth “nerfs,” particularly during high‑traffic farming runs in reactor sites like Queen and Matriarch. Within hours, however, an official Discord post confirmed: “The current speed is intentional.” That statement eased speculation and clarified that no reversion is planned, encouraging players to adapt their builds and strategies.
Practical shifts are already emerging. Slower looting increases vulnerability during raids, prompting organized squads to deploy one Looter’s Instincts specialist or favor safer farming zones instead of hot‑contested areas. Some content creators note that this change helps curb previous high‑speed farming exploits, restoring balance to loot economy and risk management. As a minor upside, weapon cases now drop fewer redundant items—such as duplicate Burletta rifles—making looting more meaningful despite the pace reduction.
According to Embark, these adjustments align with ARC Raiders’ Escalation roadmap, which aims to correct unintentional shortcuts introduced over past patches, including blueprint duplication exploits. Slower looting adds tension and purpose back into each raid, strengthening the sense of danger that defines life in Speranza’s war‑torn frontier.
As the developers continue to monitor player feedback and address separate technical issues like weapon fire‑rates, ARC Raiders players can expect this new looting rhythm to remain permanent. It may feel slower, but it represents a deliberate step toward fair progression and renewed balance in the struggle against the ARC.
