Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky Patch Notes: How the Hurricane, New ARC Threats and Feat Changes Shift Play

The Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky patch notes mark a pivot: environmental chaos and new ARC machines make topside runs riskier, while changes to Feats nudge player incentives away from direct PvP. This matters because the update changes what players chase when they head topside—rare caches and cosmetics now share the map with a hurricane that degrades shields, floods Tube systems, and forces different strategies for survival and progression.

Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky Patch Notes — immediate consequences for playstyle and progression

Here’s the part that matters: the Hurricane map condition and the removal of PvP-focused Feats alter both risk and reward. Expect fewer organically driven player-versus-player confrontations tied to Feat progression, while environmental hazards become a primary driver of tactical decisions. The update also shifts where rewards are found—First Wave Raider Caches are now topside treasures worth pursuing despite heightened danger.

The bigger signal here is that incentives are being reshaped. With PvP Feats removed and free Feat re-rolls (up to three per day) available, players can avoid forced PvP chores and instead focus on topside objectives or cooperative strategies. The real question now is whether these changes will produce calmer match-level behavior or concentrate conflict around high-value locations that remain contested despite the risks.

Update specifics and what changed in the world: Hurricane, ARC machines, Feats, cosmetics and new areas

Update highlights embedded in the patch notes include a Hurricane that engulfs the Rust Belt, creating low visibility, powerful winds, and debris that can light up and degrade your shield’s protection. Tubes face flooding risk, and topside navigation becomes unreliable—yet First Wave Raider Caches have been unearthed during the storm, providing strong bait for daring Raiders.

• Two new ARC machines patrol the surface: the Firefly, an armored flying unit that emits a jet of flame; and the Comet, a spherical machine that locks on to Raiders and detonates with a seismic boom.
• Shani issues a questline to collect materials topside to build a weather monitoring system; contributing materials yields rewards tied to Raider progression.
• PvP-focused Feats have been removed from the Feat pool; several Feats were updated, a few new ones added, and players can re-roll Feats for free up to three times per day.
• New content includes a Controlled Access Zone in Dam Battlegrounds—a high-security, high-value loot area signposted by a Rocketeer chandelier—and a mix of new cosmetic sets and unlock systems.

Cosmetic and store notes present in the patch: The Surgeon Raider Deck introduces a Surgeon cosmetic gradually unlocked by completing the Raider Deck; facial hair options are being added (Stubble available immediately, Full Beard unlockable in the Surgeon Raider Deck, and the Stubble Beard plus Thick Moustache hitting the store from February 24). Clothing sets include The Volare Set (releasing February 24) with The Devotee Set to follow, plus new Backpack and Raider Tool sets.

• Fast, tactical threat: Firefly (flying flamethrower) and Comet (lock-on explosive) change how topside encounters must be approached.
• Progression shift: removal of PvP Feats reduces mechanical incentives to damage or eliminate other Raiders as a Feat requirement.
• Reward concentration: First Wave Raider Caches and the new Controlled Access Zone concentrate high-value loot in hazardous areas.

Key takeaways:

• Environmental hazard is now a primary gameplay modifier; shields can degrade from debris and visibility is unreliable.
• Two new ARC enemies demand different movement and engagement patterns topside.
• Feat economy changes let players avoid unwanted PvP chores and spend Cred differently across the Raider Deck.
• New cosmetic and high-value zones create focal points for competition even without PvP Feat pressure.

Quick timeline (patch notes detail):

• The update is live and introduces the Hurricane map condition and new ARC enemies.
• Certain cosmetics and a store release (including some items) are scheduled for February 24.
• The Controlled Access Zone and updated Feat rules are included in the same update.

It’s easy to overlook, but this update pairs environmental severity with incentive design—removing PvP Feats while making topside more lucrative and hazardous pushes players toward different risk calculations when choosing when and where to go topside.

If you’re wondering why this keeps coming up: the patch reframes topside as a deliberate choice rather than a PvP proving ground enforced by Feat design. For players, the practical follow-through is simple—adjust loadouts for incendiary and explosive threats, reconsider whether Feat-driven aggression is worthwhile, and weigh the new high-value areas against the hurricane’s dangers.

The real test will be whether these shifts reduce spontaneous PvP or simply compress conflicts into fewer, more intense hotspots around caches and the Controlled Access Zone. Recent updates indicate these changes are active now; details may evolve with future patches.