Arc Raiders Developer Embark Institutes Permanent Bans for All Cheaters, No Warnings

Embark Studios is taking a hardline stance against cheating in Arc Raiders. The developer has announced a permanent ban policy for all accounts caught using cheat software, with no warnings or second chances.

"Cheating undermines what makes Arc Raiders challenging and fun, and disrupts the experience for everyone playing fairly," executive producer Aleksander Grøndal said in a blog post. "At Embark, we take it incredibly seriously, and spend a lot of time and money in the ongoing fight against unfair play."

The new enforcement measures go beyond simple account suspensions. Accounts linked to banned cheaters will also receive permanent bans. Embark is also expanding its use of hardware bans when there is sufficient evidence that a single machine is being used for cheating, making it harder for repeat offenders to return under new accounts.

Grøndal acknowledged that previous communications about anticheat efforts had not resonated with players. "Simply saying we're working on it isn't enough," he wrote. In recent months, Embark has improved its ability to identify and sanction accounts using cheat software and those involved in economy exploits.

The developer is bolstering its anticheat arsenal with multiple tools. Alongside its existing Denuvo anticheat and Anybrain, Embark is preparing to deploy Elytra, an anticheat currently in small-scale use in The Finals. The studio is also growing in-house cheat detection models built around machine learning and other data analysis.

Grøndal framed cheating as a systemic challenge. "Video game cheating is a multi-billion dollar industry, and it will never fully go away," he said. "What we can do is make cheating as difficult, costly, and short-lived as possible."

These enforcement changes arrive ahead of Arc Raiders' Frozen Trail update scheduled for next week, which will introduce a temporary PvE mode, rotating loot hotspots, base-building functionality, and new items and weapon archetypes.