Arc Raiders Anti-Cheat Update — Permanent Bans & Queue Teaming
Ahead of Frozen Trail on October 8, Executive Producer Aleks posted Embark's most detailed look yet at the fight against cheating in Arc Raiders. Every caught cheater is now permanently banned, hardware bans are expanding, a new system called Elytra is on the way, and a matchmaking change cut queue teaming by 85% in five days.
Permanent Bans Are Now the Rule
Embark admits it was too cautious with first-time cheaters early on and agrees with the community that it should have handled this differently. The policy is now simple: no warnings, no second chances.
First Offense Means a Permanent Ban
Permanent bans are standard for all known cheat programs, and any account caught using cheats is permanently banned.
Banned Copies Stay Banned
License restrictions now cover more cases. A copy of the game tied to a sanction can't be used with another account, and any account that has ever been associated with a banned copy also gets a permanent ban.
Hardware Bans
When there is enough evidence that one machine is used for cheating, Embark can stop the game from running on it. The evidence threshold for these bans was recently lowered, and a new solution aimed at later in 2026 should let Embark hardware ban almost every system caught running cheat software. Embark notes hardware bans are not a silver bullet, as cheat makers keep finding workarounds.
How Cheats Are Detected
Why Some Cheaters Aren't Banned Instantly
Certainty Before Action
Banning the moment something looks suspicious would risk hitting legitimate players. The system watches behavior over multiple instances until it is highly certain, then issues a permanent ban.
Clips and Streams Are Reviewed
Embark's team moderates videos and streams that clearly break the rules, including footage on YouTube and other platforms. If you see a clip of someone cheating, action may already be underway behind the scenes.
Queue Teaming Down 85%
Queue teaming is when players coordinate to land in the same solo lobby and gang up on Raiders who queued alone. After months of work on detection, Embark started keeping known teaming groups apart in matchmaking.
Anti-Cheat FAQ
Do cheaters get permanently banned in Arc Raiders?
Yes. As of September 2026, permanent bans are standard for all known cheat programs, and any account caught using cheats is permanently banned on the first offense. There are no warnings.
Can a banned cheater just make a new account?
It is getting much harder. License restrictions stop a sanctioned copy of the game from being used with another account, and any account that has ever been linked to a banned copy is also permanently banned. Hardware bans can block a cheating machine from running the game at all.
Does Arc Raiders have hardware bans?
Yes. Embark recently lowered the evidence threshold for hardware bans and is working on a way to hardware ban almost every system caught running cheat software, targeted for later in 2026.
Why are some cheaters not banned immediately?
The system analyzes behavior across multiple instances before banning, to avoid banning legitimate players by mistake. Once cheating is confirmed, the ban is permanent. Embark also reviews cheating footage on YouTube and other platforms and acts on clear evidence.
What is Elytra in Arc Raiders?
Elytra is an additional anti-cheat capability currently being tested on a small scale in THE FINALS. Embark says early results are promising and it is working toward testing it in Arc Raiders.
Is teaming up with other solo players allowed?
Teaming up with someone you meet during a raid through proximity chat is still fair game. What Embark targets is queue teaming: coordinating with another player before the raid to land in the same solo lobby and attack Raiders who queued alone.