ARC Raiders developers at start Studios rolled out Shrouded Sky Patch Notes 1.17.0 on Tuesday, bringing violent hurricanes to the game's topside maps, along with two new enemy types and beard options for player characters. The update, live now across platforms including Steam, forces players to adapt to low-visibility fights amid gales and flying debris in the Rust Belt area. It aims to shake up strategies in this co-op shooter where teams raid against machine enemies.
Key Takeaways
- Hurricanes now hit maps with wind, poor sightlines, and hazards that change combat.
- Two new ARC drones join the fight: one flies and uses a flamethrower.
- Weapons like Stitcher, Kettle, and Venator get balance tweaks to fix overpowered headshots.
- Players gain beards, free feat rerolls, and a playable piano in the world.
Background
ARC Raiders launched last year as a free-to-play game on PC via Steam. It's a session-based co-op shooter set in a post-apocalyptic world. Players drop into matches as raiders, scavenging resources while battling ARC machines—giant robots that guard the surface. The game hit early access and built a steady player base with its mix of PvE raids and optional PvP elements. Updates come often. They add maps, weapons, and fixes based on feedback.
But players kept asking for more chaos. Topside areas felt too static. Weapons had bugs from past patches that made some too easy to use. And customization? Basic at best. Enter Shrouded Sky. This seasonal push started building hype weeks ago. Developers teased weather effects and fresh threats. Now it's here. Patch 1.17.0 lands as the core of it. It builds on prior notes like 1.13, where an optimization goof hurt semi-auto fire rates. They fixed that fast. But a "shadow buff" crept in—letting spam-clicking bypass skill. This patch dials it back.
The Rust Belt map gets the full treatment. That's the industrial zone full of factories and scrap. Hurricanes sweep through. Winds push players around. Debris flies. Visibility drops. It's not just cosmetic. Combat shifts. Long-range shots? Tougher. Close fights? Riskier with gusts. Developers say scouts spotted the new ARCs amid the storm. Opportunity hides in the mess for smart teams. And yeah, beards. Players can now grow facial hair on their raiders. Simple addition. Big for immersion.
Key Details
Patch 1.17.0 packs changes across weapons, items, feats, and world objects. Here's the breakdown.
Weapon Balances
Developers tuned five guns: Stitcher, Kettle, Venator, Jupiter, Aphelion. The goal? Fix low-tier weapons outshining high-end ones. And curb headshot dominance.
Stitcher saw heavy use in PvP. Its spray wrecked at close range, especially heads. Now:
- Headshot multiplier drops from 2.5 to 1.75.
- Base damage from 7 to 6.5.
- Dispersion up 50%—bloom happens faster.
Kettle follows suit:
- Headshot multiplier from 2.5 to 2.
- Base damage from 9 to 8.
Jupiter gets PvP help. Hard to land headshots at range, but deadly when it connects. Changes make it quicker:
- ADS zoom from 1.9x to 2.2x.
- Equip time 1.2s to 1.05s.
- Unequip 0.9s to 0.75s.
Aphelion speeds up too:
- Reload from 4.5s to 3.5s.
- Time between shots 0.9s to 0.7s.
- Vertical recoil cut 50%.
- ADS settle 35% faster.
Venator? Still dominates. More tweaks incoming, they hint.
Semi-autos overall feel the input buffer fix. Spam-clicking works better than before. But paced shots reward skill more. No more free rides.
New Enemies and Weather
Hurricanes. Core feature. They hit randomly on topside. Gales shove you. Debris hurts. Fog cuts sight. New ARCs prowl:
- Flying flamethrower drone. Burns from above.
- Second type, details sparse but deadly.
Rust Belt hosts them. Storm forces new plays. Hide in wind. Use debris cover.
Quality of Life Wins
Feats overhaul. No more PvP ones. New and updated mix. Reroll three free per day. Ziplines won't stick to carryables. No traps on deployables. Energy clips default at workbench. Piano added—play it. NVIDIA Freestyle fix stops filter stacking for fair play.
"Violent hurricanes are sweeping topside, forcing new strategies for low-visibility combat, powerful gales, and hurtling debris. Scouts have spotted two new ARC types in the Rust Belt." – ARC Raiders Patch Notes
Beards round it out. Customize your raider's face. Matches the gritty look.
What This Means
Hurricanes change raids forever. Teams must scout weather. Static builds won't cut it. Flying drone counters ground rushers. Flamethrower punishes clusters. Balance shifts favor skill over spam. Low-tier guns lose edge. High-end ones shine for pros. Expect meta shakeup. PvP matches? Less Venator cheese. More Jupiter snipes.
Player retention could climb. Free feat rerolls help newbies. Piano? Fun breather. Beards add personality without power. Matches like Google's AI paths show tech tweaks boost engagement. Here, weather adds replay. But bugs linger? Watch feedback. Devs listen fast.
Deeper ties to co-op roots. Solo? Harder now. Squads thrive in chaos. Rust Belt draws crowds. Topside raids spike. Economy shifts too. Energy clips easy access speeds crafts. No more hunts.
Long term, Shrouded Sky sets stage. More seasons? Likely. Hurricanes test now. What next? Earthquakes? Night cycles? Players buzz. Devs deliver.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When did Shrouded Sky Patch 1.17.0 launch?
A: It went live today, Tuesday, February 24, 2026, on all platforms including Steam.
Q: Do hurricanes happen every match?
A: No. They sweep topside maps like Rust Belt randomly during sessions.
Q: Are the new drones only in storms?
A: Scouts spot them in the Rust Belt amid hurricanes, but they may appear broader.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Shrouded Sky Patch 1.17.0 launch?
It went live today, Tuesday, February 24, 2026, on all platforms including Steam.
Do hurricanes happen every match?
No. They sweep topside maps like Rust Belt randomly during sessions.
Are the new drones only in storms?
Scouts spot them in the Rust Belt amid hurricanes, but they may appear broader.
