Arc Raiders Update Adjusts Kettle and Trigger Nade, Aiming to Balance PVP Gameplay

Arc Raiders update 1.11.0 has arrived, bringing a nerf to the Kettle and adjustments to the Trigger Nade, as the developers at Embark recognize its overwhelming presence in PVP matches.

In the patch notes for 1.11.0, Embark details that the Kettle’s fire rate has been decreased from 600 to 450. They noted that the previous rate was primarily achievable through macros, creating an unfair advantage for those using third-party software. Design lead Virgil Watkins mentioned in a recent interview that while some players have managed to hit this rate manually, this change should help level the playing field.

Regarding the Trigger Nade, Embark stated, “Trigger Nade currently dominates PVP encounters, and players prefer it over our other grenades. This nerf aims to reduce its effectiveness as a ‘trigger-in-air’ grenade while maintaining its role as a sticky bomb.”

To achieve this, “damage falloff has been adjusted to focus damage closer to the explosion’s center, resulting in less damage at greater distances.” Additionally, the delay between triggering and detonation has been increased from 0.7 seconds to 1.5 seconds, allowing players more time to react and making it trickier to time the detonation mid-air.

In other changes, lighting in certain areas of the Stella Montis Night Raid has been dimmed, making flashlights and sound more crucial than before. A key card exploit that let players retain room keys after use has also been patched.

Lastly, Embark is celebrating Arc Raiders surpassing 10 million players by offering a special gift: the Gilded Pickaxe Raider Tool. This shiny gold hammer is available to anyone who logs in between now and January 13 at 11:59 PM CET / 2:59 PM PST / 5:59 PM EST, so if you haven’t jumped into the game yet, there’s still time to grab it.

In a discussion about matchmaking, the design lead clarified that while they can track who shoots first, the concept of aggression-based matchmaking is somewhat misleading, as they do not implement skill-based or gear-based matchmaking systems.