Ethan Crossfield 
If you rely on free loadouts in ARC Raiders, this update changes the risk calculus—at least temporarily. Embark’s latest patch introduces a new limited-time event, multiple quality-of-life fixes, and a long-awaited test that disables free loadout options on specific map conditions during a limited window.
What’s new in Update 1.33.0
Embark has rolled out ARC Raiders’ latest live update (1.33.0), centered on two big additions: a new limited-time event and a major experiment involving free loadouts. The event, called Forgotten Relics, runs as a merit-based progression system. Players earn Merits by accumulating XP during runs, with additional Merits tied to discovering hidden relics on maps. To claim the rewards, relics must be extracted successfully.
Progression through Forgotten Relics unlocks the Saltwalker Outfit, and all Merits earned also contribute to the Converging Paths project. Separate from the event headline, the update also includes a broad set of bug fixes and improvements across aiming, map interactions, audio, UI behavior, and gameplay systems like barricades and healing interactions.
Who is affected by the free loadout change
The most controversial change targets how free loadouts work. After community debate, Embark is disabling free loadout options for a limited time on Night Raid and Close Scrutiny map conditions. In practice, that means players who want better loot must risk their own gear during those scenarios.
Embark frames this as a limited test rather than a permanent global overhaul. However, the intent is clear: the studio will likely monitor feedback and player data closely to decide whether similar restrictions expand beyond the initial scope.
What else changed: roadmap shifts and patch highlights
Beyond the free loadout experiment and Forgotten Relics, Embark has been reshaping ARC Raiders’ release cadence. The studio confirmed the game is moving away from a monthly release schedule toward two larger updates per year, with smaller updates continuing in the meantime.
In the same broader push, Embark also clarified how matchmaking works in the game and what it can’t do, following additional community discussion.
On the patch notes side, Update 1.33.0 includes fixes such as improved extraction call announcements, corrected aiming-down-sights behavior for some weapons, and preventing certain falls through the map near map hazards and geometry. The update also adjusts audio cues to make Raider Caches easier to find, adds inventory input shortcuts (gamepad-only for one action), and updates the Free Loadout warning behavior to account for refilling item stacks based on available inventory space.
What players should know
- Free loadouts are disabled (for a limited test) on Night Raid and Close Scrutiny map conditions, so you’ll need to bring your own gear if you want access to better loot.
- Forgotten Relics rewards are tied to both XP and finding hidden relics, but you must extract with the relic to claim what you earn.
- The current patch includes multiple fixes for audio, UI loadout display, and gameplay edge cases (including barricade-related behavior and healing/cloud interactions).
- ARC Raiders is transitioning from monthly updates to two larger yearly updates, though smaller updates will still appear between major releases.
Expert View
This is a meaningful step for ARC Raiders: disabling free loadouts on specific map conditions directly attacks the “no downside” behavior that can undermine match integrity, while still keeping the change testable. The studio also pairs the experiment with event content and a sizable patch rollup, which helps ensure players have reasons to return beyond the controversy. The key question now is whether Embark expands the restriction based on real player outcomes and community feedback.
