Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky Patch Notes Reveal Hurricanes, New ARC Threats and Major Weapon Rebalancing

Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky Patch Notes for the Shrouded Sky - Patch Notes 1. 17. 0 update deliver a storm-forward update: violent hurricanes on topside, two newly spotted ARC types in the Rust Belt, and a slate of weapon fixes and balance changes aimed at restoring skill expression without sacrificing responsiveness. These changes matter because they reshape both environmental strategy and combat fundamentals.

Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky Patch Notes: Key changes

Patch 1. 17. 0 centers on three pillars: environmental hazard adjustments, new enemy presence, and weapon tuning. Violent hurricanes are sweeping topside, creating low-visibility combat, powerful gales, and hurtling debris that force new strategies. Scouts have spotted two new ARC types in the Rust Belt; players are advised to exercise caution while the storm runs its course, though those who can read the weather may find opportunity amid the chaos.

Hurricane map condition and tactical implications

The update describes hurricane conditions that affect visibility and movement on topside areas. The combination of low visibility, strong winds, and debris changes how engagements play out; these forces are presented as core gameplay modifiers rather than cosmetic effects. The contextual advice from the patch is to be cautious during the storm, with the explicit note that careful players can exploit weather patterns for advantage.

Weapon input buffering and the 'shadow buff' fix

Patch notes trace a multi-step weapon fix history: in 1. 13 an optimization fix for weapons unintentionally lowered the total fire-rate of semi-automatic weapons. The 1. 13. 1 follow-up reverted that optimization, but introduced an unintended side effect that players called a "shadow buff. " Investigation found 1. 13. 1 had inadvertently impacted weapon input buffers so that, where players previously needed to time inputs to a weapon's intended cadence to reach full potential, spam-clicking could now bypass that skill requirement.

To strike a middle ground, the developers added more levers to control the weapon input buffering window on a gun-to-gun basis and adjusted semi-automatic weapons. The result is that weapons should still be more responsive to spam-clicking, but players who pace their shots will see better results — preserving some skill expression while improving feel.

Weapon balance: Stitcher, Kettle, Aphelion, Jupiter, and Venator

The update addresses perceived imbalance between low-tier and high-tier weapons. Concerns were raised that some low-tier weapons outperformed higher-tier offerings at much lower cost; the intent is to shift that balance while allowing skilled players to "punch above their weight. " Changes begin by reducing the overall TTK of the Stitcher and Kettle, and increasing the maneuverability of the Aphelion and Jupiter. The team is also taking a second stab at the Venator, which still seems to be dominating many PvP encounters.

• Stitcher: Maintained role as a close-quarters weapon that rewards positioning, but its fast TTK could lead to ambush kills with little reaction time. High headshot damage contributes to that problem. Changes reduce full-spray accuracy and lower the headshot multiplier to bring headshot TTK closer to body-shot TTK.
• Kettle: Intended as a medium-range, deliberate weapon, but commonly used in close quarters like an SMG. Base damage is being reduced to bring TTK more in line with expectations, while the high headshot multiplier is being retained to encourage aiming for headshots.
• Aphelion and Jupiter: Maneuverability will be increased to better differentiate handling and combat roles.
• Venator: Developers note continued scrutiny following nerfs in 1. 3. 0; the patch notes end a sentence about ongoing data review with the detail unclear in the provided context.

Side note: Error 418 — I am a teapot

An adjacent item in the content set lists an Error 418 entry titled "Error 418 - I am a teapot" with the short text: "Short and stout, this is my handle, this is my spout. " The relationship of this entry to the patch notes is unclear in the provided context.

What to watch next

Players should expect evolving balance as the team uses the new buffering levers to tune guns on a gun-by-gun basis. The patch frames the hurricanes and the two new ARC types as temporary but impactful changes that reward weather-aware play. Details about release timing or additional map-specific conditions are unclear in the provided context. Expect follow-up tuning as data from PvP encounters, especially those involving the Venator, is collected and acted on.