Topic / Subject

ARC Raiders patch 1.18.0 is live with exploit fixes, quest cleanup, crash fixes, and performance repairs.

TL;DR

This is a real update with real cleanup work behind it. Embark’s March 3 patch targeted safe-pocket exploits, Snaphook abuse, a blocked quest step, performance drops, and a rare Player Proximity crash.

Key Details

• Embark officially published Patch Notes 1.18.0 on March 3, 2026.
• The patch fixed an exploit that let players put weapons into a safe pocket without the Safekeeper Augment.
• It also fixed an issue that let players pocket the Snaphook while it was in use.
• Embark says the patch resolved a “Worth Your Salt” quest blocker, some ARC-related performance drops, and a rare crash when navigating to the Player Proximity menu.

Breakdown

The biggest thing here is that this patch hit a few different pain points at once. It is not just balance tuning. It goes after exploits, progression blockers, and stability problems in the same pass, which is usually what players want most from a maintenance update.

The safe-pocket and Snaphook fixes matter because exploit cleanup helps protect the game’s risk-reward loop. The quest and crash fixes matter because they remove the kind of friction that can make a live game feel rough even when the core loop is strong.

There is also a separate balance story in this same patch, since Embark adjusted Hurricane cache loot too. But even without that headline, 1.18.0 is a meaningful quality pass on its own.

What to Watch Next

• Whether players report that the safe-pocket issues are fully gone
• Whether the performance fix in the Dam Controlled Access Zone holds up
• Whether the “Worth Your Salt” quest fix stays stable across raids
• Whether Embark follows with another rapid hotfix if new edge cases pop up

Sources

ARC Raiders — Patch Notes 1.18.0

Steam Community — ARC Raiders Patch Notes 1.18.0

GamesRadar — Arc Raiders patch nerfs Hurricane Caches so you can’t just walk away from every session with an armful of blueprints, but you’ll be getting better materials in return

Comment

Which matters more to you in a live game patch, exploit cleanup or performance fixes?