Embark Studios is finally pulling the trigger on permanent bans for Arc Raiders cheaters, signaling a major shift in how the developer handles bad actors within its high-stakes extraction shooter. For weeks, the community has been in a state of growing frustration as blatant hackers—utilizing everything from aimbots to wallhacks—were reportedly only receiving 30-day suspensions. This “slap on the wrist” policy led to widespread criticism from players who argued that temporary bans did little to deter those intent on ruining the experience for others.
The catalyst for this more aggressive stance appears to have been a series of high-profile incidents involving “stream snipers” and hackers targeting content creators. Twitch streamer TheBurntPeanut recently made headlines after being repeatedly harassed by a group of cheaters, eventually calling out the developers for their perceived inaction. In what many see as a direct response to this public outcry, Embark has begun issuing permanent account terminations to those caught using game-breaking exploits.
While the studio has not officially detailed the full scope of these new measures, players have started sharing screenshots of permanent ban notifications on social platforms like Reddit. Previously, the developer had leaned on a progressive punishment system, but the sheer volume of complaints regarding invisibility glitches and automated aiming tools seems to have forced their hand. In addition to the bans, Embark has been working on client-side fixes to address “out of map” exploits that allowed players to hide in unreachable areas with stolen loot.
This crackdown is a critical moment for Arc Raiders as it seeks to maintain its momentum in a crowded market. In an extraction-based game, where hours of progress can be lost in a single encounter, the presence of cheaters isn’t just a nuisance—it’s a threat to the game’s long-term viability. By moving toward a zero-tolerance policy, Embark is sending a clear message: the period of experimentation and leniency is over. Whether these new detection mechanisms can stay ahead of the next wave of hacks remains to be seen, but for the honest raiders of Speranza, it is a much-needed victory.
