ARC Raiders has finally fixed the game-breaking duplication glitch with a hotfix, but it has also signaled that players may soon lose items gained through the exploit and could even face penalties. It is no secret that one of ARC Raiders‘ core issues has been the recurring appearance of exploits, which often cause serious problems in PvP. However, the duplication glitch was among the most severe, creating major issues that left the game unplayable for many players.
Interestingly, the major February 10 update that many expected to fully address the glitch completely ignored it. Not only that, the duplication problem was not even mentioned in the “known issues” section of the official patch notes, which quickly sparked backlash from the community.
Duplication Glitch Drama Continues After Hotfix
A few hours after ARC Raiders‘ February update went live, Embark Studios finally acknowledged the duplication glitch and rolled out a quick OTA hotfix to address it. However, the studio also announced that, depending on the severity of the exploitation, some players may face penalties for abusing the glitch. “Players who have duplicated excessive amounts of items will be subject to further review and possible penalties,” said the official Twitter post, adding that “Nothing beats earning your loot the hard way.”
Some Players May Soon Lose Their Glitch-Earned Items
While Embark Studios has not been fully transparent about its next steps, one likely outcome is some form of rollback on the accounts of players who abused the glitch. The developer may remove excess items gained through duplication and possibly the currency earned from selling them. This could also extend to ARC Raiders‘ Trials, as many players used the glitch to secure high placements in the current week’s tasks. That said, these outcomes remain speculative, and Embark Studios has yet to confirm its exact plans for handling the situation.
The Penalization Lines Seem Blurry
One detail that has caught many players’ attention is how vague the studio has been in its wording on both Twitter and Discord. A community manager on the game’s official Discord server wrote, “We are still investigating the full impact of the issue and will be taking action based on the severity of the different cases as we complete our investigation.” As a result, many players believe the studio may struggle to sort out the problem properly, since reviewing accounts on a case-by-case basis and penalizing only part of the player base seems unlikely. Even if Embark Studios manages to do so, it remains unclear what will actually define the level of “severity” that warrants a penalty.
Not All Players Are Happy with Embark Studios’ Decision
While most of the community seems pleased that the glitch has finally been fixed, not everyone agrees with how Embark Studios has handled the situation. Some argue that players should not be punished for a mistake on the developer’s side, noting that ARC Raiders‘ duplication glitch had already been reported by thousands of players and was apparently ignored. To them, it seems unjustifiable to penalize those who used the glitch, especially when even prominent streamers like The Burnt Peanut exploited it.
Those in favor of bans and penalties, however, make solid counterarguments. They point out that the glitch has impacted ARC Raiders‘ Trials by giving some players an unfair advantage and inflated scores. They also note that the duplication glitch caused many players to lose hard-earned loot in one-sided PvP matches, making developer action necessary. Finally, they argue that players using the exploit to amass millions of coins could destabilize the game’s economy and balance, particularly with ARC Raiders‘ second Expedition window just days away.
In the coming days, it will be interesting to see how Embark Studios controls the aftermath of the hotfix. The studio currently faces criticism from both sides of the debate. Players who used the glitch argue they had no other option and do not deserve a ban or penalty, while those affected believe letting exploiters off the hook would be unfair and could encourage more players to abuse future glitches.
- Released
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October 30, 2025
- ESRB
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Teen / Violence, Blood
