It turns out exploits and glitches are not the only issues making ARC Raiders unplayable for some, as thousands of fans are now urging Embark Studios to fix the game’s lighting problems. The debate over ARC Raiders‘ default brightness dates back to its earliest days and continues to this day.
At first, many PC players turned to NVIDIA’s Game Filters to take matters into their own hands and improve the game’s lighting. This created a PvP imbalance, as console players had limited options while PC users could simply max out their gamma settings and see almost the entire map clearly, even at night. NVIDIA Filters were later disabled for ARC Raiders, likely to preserve balance and fairness. Now, many fans believe that if Embark wants them to stop using external tools, it needs to address the issue properly.
ARC Raiders Rolls Out Yet Another Hotfix Following February Update
ARC Raiders’ latest patch fixes another game-breaking issue that surfaced after the duplication exploit, but fans still seem concerned anyway.
Fans Think ARC Raiders Has a Lighting Problem
Reddit user Cactus_on_Fire shared a complaint titled “Embark, fix your lighting,” talking about how dark areas on the map are hurting the player experience. “Your game readability is suffering from clutter and awful lighting,” the post reads, following remarks about how PC players rely on gamma settings and third-party tools just to see a few feet ahead. The post has since surpassed 16,000 upvotes, suggesting that a large portion of the community agrees Embark Studios needs to take action.
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According to fans, the issue becomes even more noticeable on ARC Raiders‘ Electromagnetic Storm and Night Raid maps, where the darkness makes it extremely difficult to spot enemies. Since the game’s early days, campers have taken advantage of this by hiding in shadowy corners and picking off unsuspecting raiders nearby.
One of the top comments under the post also points out that firing a weapon leaves behind dense smoke that further obscures vision. In short, many players feel that poor lighting combined with lingering gun smoke makes PvP encounters frustratingly difficult. Others argue that the current lighting would be more tolerable if at least one of the players’ gadgets were more effective.
ARC Raiders’ Flashlight Fails to Fill the Gap
One player argues that the issue is made worse by the flashlight, which only illuminates a narrow radius. “I’m fine with how dark it is in the game, but the flashlight needs to actually work properly,” they say, suggesting that Embark Studios should at least expand the gadget’s effective range so it can better compensate for the poor lighting in certain areas of the map.
Some Players Support ARC Raiders’ Current Lighting
While thousands want Embark Studios to improve the game’s lighting, some fans disagree. One user replied to the Reddit post, saying, “It’s for balance. The light difference between interior and exterior areas is intentional, so you can’t shoot a raider outside without fully exposing yourself in the window. Interior dark spots are meant to be lit with your flashlight, which makes you more visible. It’s done on purpose.”
Their comment has nearly 4,000 upvotes, indicating that a lot of players are satisfied with the current lighting. However, others have pushed back, arguing that the default illumination is unbalanced. For example, it’s much easier to spot enemies outside while hiding in a dark corner inside a building. Additionally, the current settings often push players to adjust monitor brightness or use third-party apps to improve ARC Raiders‘ visibility, suggesting the lighting isn’t as balanced as some claim.
Embark Studios’ Track Record Doesn’t Suggest a ‘Bright’ Future
When describing the design philosophy behind ARC Raiders‘ universe, Embark Studios said, “[the game’s world is] a celebration of the majesty of nature, which can be felt in the vivid naturalistic lighting, grand skies, and nature reclaiming the influence of man.” Meanwhile, a look at the studio’s past patches for ARC Raiders shows it has often lowered lighting in different map modifiers, likely to achieve a more “realistic” feel.
For example, on January 13, 2026, the Swedish developer released patch 1.11.0, which reduced lighting in parts of Stella Montis Night Raids to make flashlights and footstep sounds more important. Later, on January 27, patch 1.13.0 again adjusted Night Raid lighting by turning off most lamps. While this update included some lighting polish, players noticed no significant improvements.
Given the studio’s track record and its commitment to this core design philosophy, drastic changes to ARC Raiders‘ lighting seem unlikely in the near future. Still, many fans continue to voice frustration over the default brightness and illumination, hoping the developer will eventually listen and make adjustments.
- Released
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October 30, 2025
- ESRB
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Teen / Violence, Blood
