ARC Raiders January Update 1.13.0 lands with a clear sense of tension. The Rust Belt feels more hostile, more alive, and more demanding than before. Sandstorms continue to tear across the surface, birds gather with strange intent around Buried City, and veteran Raiders now hunt ARC and rival squads with confidence that borders on reckless. This update focuses on high-skill play, long-term progression, and meaningful refinements that sharpen every expedition.
Released on January 27, 2026, Update 1.13.0 introduces new systems while tightening nearly every part of the game. It does not chase spectacle. Instead, it deepens the experience for players who know the risks and choose to face them anyway.
In This Post:
Solo vs Squads Raises the Stakes for Veteran Raiders
One of the defining additions in this update is Solo vs Squads matchmaking. This option targets experienced players who thrive on PvP pressure. Once you reach level 40, a new toggle appears above matchmaking that lets you queue solo into squad lobbies.
Choosing this path means facing full teams alone, but the game recognizes the risk. At the end of each round, you receive a 20 percent XP bonus whether you extract successfully or fall in combat. This system rewards confidence, sharp decision-making, and the willingness to engage squads head-on without backup.
Trophy Display Introduces Long-Term ARC Hunting Progression
Update 1.13.0 adds a new long-term project called the Trophy Display. This system encourages sustained engagement rather than quick completion. You hunt increasingly dangerous ARC units, submit their parts, and slowly build a Display Case across five upgrade steps, similar in structure to the Candleberry Project.
Each step adds a visible item to the case and grants rewards that include blueprints and Raider Tokens. Completing the full project unlocks additional rewards such as the Howl emote, a guitar, and 300,000 Coins. This project has no fixed end date and does not reset with Expeditions, making it a persistent mark of progress over time.
Bird City Changes How Buried City Plays
Buried City now carries a new rotating map condition known as Bird City. Flocks of birds nest inside empty chimneys and stash shiny trinkets that reward careful exploration. This condition applies only to Buried City and rotates in and out weekly.
The changes push combat upward. More ziplines, more bird traps, and tighter player proximity pull you toward rooftops and vertical routes. Expect more flying ARC and more encounters that unfold above street level. Buried City feels denser, louder, and more dangerous as a result.
New Items and Quests Expand Build and Mission Variety
January Update 1.13.0 introduces two new Epic Augments that expand late-game build options. While details remain limited, these augments add more room for experimentation and risk-focused loadouts.
The update also adds seven new quests, giving you fresh objectives to pursue alongside Expeditions and long-term projects.
Social and Matchmaking Improvements Streamline Squad Play
Several quality-of-life changes arrive with this update. You can now set your party to open, allowing Embark and platform friends to join seamlessly, even while you are mid-round and waiting in the lobby.
Squad invites also expand. Squadmates can now invite others directly, removing the restriction that limited invitations to party leaders. Players with linked Discord accounts can invite or join friends directly through Discord when open party settings are enabled.
ARC Behavior and Combat Readability Improve Across the Board
Enemy behavior sees meaningful refinement in this update. ARC traversal over obstacles has improved, making encounters feel more consistent and readable.
Specific ARC updates include better movement for Leapers after losing their legs, correct scavenging labels for dead Shredders, and fixes that stop Snitches from aborting ARC calls when lures appear. Spotters no longer follow players into buildings and get stuck, and Ticks now give you a brief window to dodge-roll free after they grab you.
Map Balance and Loot Distribution Receive Careful Tuning
Loot and map flow receive extensive attention. Condition-specific blueprint containers appear less frequently during events like Electromagnetic Storm, Hidden Bunker, and Locked Gate. At the same time, weapon cases now offer higher chances of dropping top-tier weapons.
Drop rates for Matriarch and Queen unique parts from armor pieces decrease slightly to encourage full destruction rather than partial farming. Across all maps, many non-interactable containers and collision issues have been fixed.
Each major location benefits from targeted improvements. Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, and Stella Montis all receive fixes that address stuck spots, unintended access, lighting issues, and spawn problems. Stella Montis also sees a fix to the Seed Vault extraction glitch and a darker Night Raid atmosphere with most lamps turned off.
Stability, Controls, and UI See Broad Improvements
The update delivers a long list of fixes that improve stability and responsiveness. Movement issues tied to network interruptions, ladder interactions, and crouched entries have been resolved. Aim assist now behaves consistently across framerates, and input registration works more reliably above 30 FPS.
UI updates include full gamepad rebinding, clearer VOIP indicators, improved inventory value displays, and better visibility for stash items and rewards. Mouse smoothing becomes an optional setting, and matchmaking delay options help reduce stream sniping risks.
Anti-Cheat Measures Move to a Progressive System
Embark begins rolling out a three-strike progressive ban system with this update. Offenses escalate from a 30-day ban to 60 days and finally a permanent ban for repeat offenders. This approach signals a firmer stance on maintaining fair play across Expeditions.
Known Issues to Keep in Mind
Some issues remain unresolved. Solo vs Squads currently does not trigger a notification when it unlocks at level 40. Certain Raider Token cosmetics may not appear in menus until purchased. One Marco helmet variant may look incorrect in previews but appears correctly in-game. In rare cases, skill points may not register properly on the results screen, though restarting or playing another round resolves the issue.
A Sharper, Risk-Driven Update
ARC Raiders January Update 1.13.0 does not reinvent the game. Instead, it sharpens it. From high-risk solo matchmaking to long-term trophy hunting and rooftop-heavy map changes, this update rewards players who embrace pressure and persistence. The Rust Belt feels more dangerous, more deliberate, and more alive than before.
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