The long-awaited Riven Tides update for the stylish extraction shooter ARC Raiders has finally landed, but the excitement has been met with a wave of technical frustration. While developer Embark Studios has injected the game with a stunning new map and terrifying enemies, a critical bug in patch 1.26.0 has effectively severed the lines between platforms. If you’ve been looking at ARC Raiders as a “more polished, sci-fi alternative to Escape from Tarkov,” this latest hiccup serves as a gritty reminder of the growing pains common in the genre.
Crossplay Casualties and a Temporary Fix
The headline of the April 28 launch hasn’t been the new scenery, but rather the broken social fabric of the game. Shortly after the update went live on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, players discovered that the crossplay toggle in the settings menu had been disabled and locked. This has prevented friends on different systems from squading up and has significantly impacted matchmaking pools.
Embark has officially acknowledged the issue via their Discord and is working on a permanent patch. In the meantime, they have offered a temporary workaround:
- Players must reset their game settings to default in the options menu.
- This action reportedly forces the crossplay feature back into an “On” state.
- Warning: Doing this will wipe all your custom keybinds, sensitivity settings, and accessibility preferences, so be sure to take screenshots of your current setup before resetting.
Riven Tides: Treasures, Beaches, and New Threats
Technical woes aside, the 1.26.0 update is a massive content drop. The centerpiece is the new Riven Tides map, which introduces the Beachcombing mechanic. Raiders can now equip a new metal detector item to scour the shorelines for buried treasure and high-value loot, adding a layer of tension to the usual scavenging.
However, the beaches are far from safe. The update introduces the ARC Turbine, a deadly new mechanical predator designed to keep veterans on their toes. This patch also marks the completion of the early 2026 roadmap, but Embark has reassured fans that they intend to support the title for at least a decade, with a new roadmap expected to drop in the coming weeks.
New Expedition Window: From Hoarding to Hunting
The way you earn Skill Points has also undergone a radical shift with the opening of the latest Expedition Window. Moving away from the previous focus on hoarding coins and stash value, Embark is now rewarding raw combat prowess.
- To earn the 5 additional Skill Points for the upcoming reset, players must deal 100,000 total damage by Monday, May 11.
- To put that in perspective, that is the damage equivalent of taking down roughly 20 Bastions.
Pohled redakce
ARC Raiders remains one of the most promising projects in the extraction space. Embark’s eye for atmosphere is on full display with the Riven Tides map there’s something uniquely nerve-wracking about sweeping a metal detector over the sand while hearing the distant hum of a Turbine. While the broken crossplay is a massive “kaňka” (as we say in Czech) on an otherwise great launch, the studio’s transparency is a good sign. If you can stomach resetting your controls, the thrill of the new hunt is well worth the hassle.
FAQ
Q: When did the Riven Tides update release and on which platforms?
A: Update 1.26.0 launched on April 28, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Q: How do I fix the disabled crossplay in ARC Raiders?
A: Currently, the only fix is to go into your settings and select “Restore to Default.” This will re-enable crossplay but reset all other custom settings.
Q: What is the new Beachcombing mechanic?
A: It is a new activity on the Riven Tides map where players use a metal detector to find buried loot and rare resources along the coastline.
Q: How do I earn the 5 extra Skill Points in the new Expedition?
A: You must deal a total of 100,000 damage to ARC enemies before the deadline on Monday, May 11.
Q: Is this the final update for ARC Raiders?
A: No, Riven Tides only concludes the initial 2026 roadmap. Embark Studios has stated they plan to support the game for up to ten years.
