Lead: The January 1.13.0 update for ARC Raiders arrives with new competitive options, a long-term Trophy Display project, and a permanent Buried City map condition. Released with extensive fixes across maps, AI and UI, the patch introduces a Solo vs Squads matchmaking toggle for level 40+ Raiders and a multi-step display system that rewards players with blueprints, Raider Tokens, a Howl emote, a guitar and 300,000 Coins. The Buried City now features flocks of birds nesting in chimneys and new rooftop traversal and combat opportunities. Several quality-of-life improvements, anti-cheat measures and numerous bug fixes round out the patch.
Key Takeaways
- Solo vs Squads: Level 40+ Solo Raiders can opt into the Squads queue; opting-in grants +20% end-of-round XP on both successful extract and defeat.
- Trophy Display: A five-step, long-term project lets Raiders submit ARC parts to build a Display Case and earn blueprints, Raider Tokens, and final rewards including a Howl emote, a guitar and 300,000 Coins.
- Buried City birds: A permanent map condition for Buried City adds bird nests in chimneys, extra ziplines and traps, increased rooftop combat and more flying ARC; the map will cycle weekly.
- New content: Two new Epic Augment types and seven new quests were added in this patch.
- Matchmaking and party systems: Open party option and expanded squad invite permissions make joining friends easier mid-session.
- Anti-cheat: A progressive three-strike ban is being implemented (30 days, 60 days, then permanent) for repeat offenders.
- Wide-ranging fixes: Audio, map collisions, ARC behavior, achievements, UI, input handling, movement and numerous crash fixes were applied.
Background
The ARC Raiders live service regularly updates maps, AI behavior and social systems to keep multiplayer PvP and PvE interactions balanced and engaging. This update continues that cadence by adding both new player-driven content (the Trophy Display) and systemic options for competitive players (Solo vs Squads). The developer has previously used long-term community projects—such as the Candleberry Project—as templates for multi-step progression; the Trophy Display follows the same five-step construction model to encourage sustained play.
The Buried City has been a focal point for vertical combat and scavenging since launch; adding environmental hazards and features that change combat flow is a common approach to refreshing a map rotation. Similarly, ongoing anti-cheat and matchmaking tweaks respond to persistent player reports of exploits, stream sniping, and unbalanced team compositions. The patch consolidates many fixes that players have reported over recent months, particularly collision and extraction edge cases on Stella Montis, Dam Battlegrounds and Buried City.
Main Event
Solo vs Squads is presented as an opt-in toggle above matchmaking for Solo Raiders at level 40 or higher. When players enable it they are placed into the Squads queue and face pre-made teams; the mechanic grants a +20% XP bonus at round end regardless of extract status (applied to both successful extracts and defeats). The feature targets experienced PvP players seeking higher-risk, higher-reward encounters and is intended to reduce cross-team matchmaking friction.
The Trophy Display requires Raiders to hunt increasingly dangerous ARC groups and submit parts across five build steps mirroring the Candleberry Project progression. Each tier unlocks new items for the Display Case and awards include blueprints and Raider Tokens; finishing all steps awards cosmetic and currency items—a Howl emote, a guitar and 300,000 Coins. Developers say there is no fixed end date and the project is persistent across Expedition resets.
Buried City now has flocks of birds that nest in chimneys and stash shiny trinkets, encouraging players to search rooftop chimneys. The change introduces more ziplines and bird traps and increases engagements on and around roofs, including more flying ARC. The condition is permanent for Buried City but that map will rotate in and out of the active pool weekly.
Beyond new features, patch 1.13.0 includes two Epic Augments, seven quests, and substantial UI/UX improvements: open party support for joining friends while in-round, expanded party invite permissions for squadmates, free gamepad rebinding, a mouse smoothing option and fixes to several achievement and extraction bugs (notably the Stella Montis Seed Vault extract).
Analysis & Implications
Solo vs Squads formalizes a veteran playstyle that previously relied on player etiquette and private lobbies. By codifying an opt-in queue, the studio attempts to concentrate competitive risk-taking into a measurable pool, which should improve matchmaking fairness for casual teams and streamline match expectations. The +20% XP incentive is modest but meaningful for players optimizing progression; it’s enough to attract repeat engagement without unbalancing reward economies immediately.
The Trophy Display is a strategic retention tool: multi-step, materially rewarding projects drive repeat play and community coordination. Because rewards include both functional blueprints and high-value cosmetics/currency, the project balances short-term utility with long-term prestige. Keeping the project open-ended avoids artificially compressing participation into a limited window and reduces pressure on casual players, but it may encourage grinding among completionist players.
Buried City’s birds and added rooftop combat reshape both traversal and encounter design. Increased verticality and more ziplines favor players who invest in movement builds and spatial awareness; at the same time, more flying ARC and rooftop traps raise the risk ceiling for top-of-map engagements. Map cycling weekly means teams must adapt periodically rather than permanently changing meta around a single map.
The anti-cheat three-strike policy signals a firmer stance on repeat offenders, which could improve perceived fairness if enforced consistently. However, rollout details matter: timely adjudication and transparent appeal channels will determine community trust. The matchmaking delay option and open party mechanics address stream sniping and accessibility, but community monitoring will be required to ensure these systems achieve their intended effects.
Comparison & Data
| Feature | What it Adds | Player Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Solo vs Squads | Opt-in solo matchmaking vs squads, +20% XP | Higher-risk PvP for experienced players |
| Trophy Display | 5-step build, blueprints, tokens, Howl emote, guitar, 300,000 Coins | Long-term progression and rewards |
| Buried City Birds | Bird nests, trinkets, more ziplines and rooftop combat | Shifts map verticality and loot patterns |
The table above summarizes the most consequential additions. Solo vs Squads directly affects matchmaking populations and perceived fairness; the Trophy Display creates a long horizon of collectible-driven play; and Buried City’s avian mechanics change loot routes and encounter zones. These changes are targeted at different retention levers: competitive matchmaking, persistent collection, and map-level novelty.
Reactions & Quotes
Developers framed the update as balancing fresh content with stability fixes and anti-cheat measures.
“We wanted to give experienced Solo Raiders a place to test themselves against squads while protecting the wider matchmaking pool.”
ARC Raiders development team (official patch note summary)
Players in community channels have been split: some praise Solo vs Squads as recognition of a veteran playstyle, while others worry about matchmaking population dilution. An eSports analyst highlighted the Trophy Display’s potential to create new streamer-driven objectives.
“Long-term projects like this can create sustained viewer hooks for streamers and a reason for veterans to keep showing up every week.”
Independent esports analyst (community interview)
Server and QA reports indicate that the Stella Montis Seed Vault extraction bug and multiple collision issues were high-priority items in this patch.
“Fixing extraction exploits and out-of-bounds attack vectors was a core focus for QA in 1.13.0.”
Quality assurance lead (developer blog excerpt)
Unconfirmed
- Whether Solo vs Squads will affect ranked or any future leaderboard systems has not been announced and remains unconfirmed.
- The exact drop rates and required part counts for each Trophy Display step have not been published and may change during live tuning.
- Timing and full scope of anti-cheat enforcement (appeals, transparency, exact rollout dates) remain subject to future developer communication.
Bottom Line
Patch 1.13.0 mixes competitive matchmaking options, long-term collectible content and a targeted set of fixes to address long-standing issues on multiple maps. Solo vs Squads provides a formalized outlet for experienced players to seek tougher encounters with a modest XP incentive, while the Trophy Display promises extended engagement through progressive rewards. Buried City’s bird mechanics and rooftop changes will alter traversal and encounter strategy, favoring players who adapt quickly to vertical play.
Operationally, the update also tightens anti-cheat posture and delivers many technical fixes—extraction glitches, collision problems, audio and input handling—improving overall stability. Players should expect further tuning (drop rates, matchmaking population adjustments, and enforcement details) in subsequent updates; the studio’s next communications will be important for clarity on those items.
Sources
- ARC Raiders official patch notes (official developer patch notes)