Developer Embark Studios released update 1.20.0 for the shooting and extraction game Arc Raiders this Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The new patch brings significant changes requested by the gaming community, focusing mainly on rebalancing equipment and correcting economic distortions within the title. Entre the highlights, the popular Il Toro shotgun has received adjustments that alter its effectiveness in direct combat.
The weapon adjustment aims to make matches fairer, preventing players from being eliminated extremely quickly without the chance to react. Além of the mechanical changes, the development team introduced new cosmetic items, including the Rawhide costume and two new haircut options for character customization. Estas additions seek to maintain aesthetic engagement while the main gameplay undergoes technical refinements necessary for the longevity of the competitive environment.
The game’s economy was also a direct target of this update, specifically with regard to the accumulation of coins in a simplified way. The method of manufacturing and selling Energy Clips, which had been widely explored by users to get rich quickly, suffered a drastic reduction in its profitability. From now on, the sales value of these items better reflects the collection and production effort required by the survival mechanics.
Technical adjustments to the Il Toro shotgun change combat dynamics
The Il Toro shotgun, previously considered one of the most dominant weapons in the current meta, has undergone a series of reductions to its base attributes. Segundo the development notes, the intention is for the weapon to behave in a manner befitting its rarity, requiring further upgrades and modifications to achieve maximum performance. Jogadores who used the basic version of the weapon will notice a noticeable drop in rate of fire and reload speed.
Detailed statistics show that damage per projectile has been reduced, as well as base spread has been increased, making it less accurate at moderate ranges. Embark Studios highlighted that these changes will force Raiders to use better positioning and coverage during confrontations. Abaixo are the main points of technical change applied to weapons:
- Projectile damage reduced from 7.5 to 7 points per impact.
- Base rate of fire decreased from 43 to 38 speed units.
- Total reload time increased from 4.3 seconds to 5.7 seconds.
- Base dispersion increased from 4.5 to 6, reducing shot concentration.
- Increased damage loss over distance, which increased from 40% to 50%.
Savings of Arc Raiders involve correction of values in manufactured items
Update 1.20.0 focused on balancing the trading and sales system within the game’s outposts. Anteriormente, the Energy Clips, created from an Advanced Arc Powercell and two batteries, could be sold for 1,000 coins, generating a disproportionate profit. With the new rule, the selling price has dropped to 200 coins, bringing this item in line with other crafting products available in the game universe.
This measure aims to encourage players to explore different areas of the map in search of varied resources, instead of repeating cycles of manufacturing a single item. The technical team stated that the previous value was unintentional and ended up breaking the natural progression planned for the achievement and improvement system. Agora, the search for coins will require a more strategic and diversified approach to raids.
Bug fixes and design improvements for extraction maps
In addition to balancing combat and economy, Embark Studios applied corrections to geographic glitches on maps known as Dam Controlled Access Zone and Spaceport. Relatos of players indicated points where it was possible to be pushed through walls or get stuck in structures near the east elevator. Essas invisible collisions have been properly mapped and fixed to avoid unfair loss of equipment during extraction sessions.
The audio department also worked on eliminating persistent sounds that occurred after the destruction of comets and fireballs. Esses residual noises often confused Raiders’s spatial perception, making it difficult to detect real enemies or nearby robotic threats. The sound cleaning contributes to a more precise immersion and to maintaining the tension characteristic of the tactical shooter genre.
Impact of the new rate of fire on survival gameplay
The reduction in Il Toro’s rate of fire is not just a number, but a change that alters the player’s response time under pressure. With the increased entry time into the reload animation, each misfire becomes more punishing, favoring opponents who use automatic or precision weapons. The meta of aggressive “rush” with shotguns should be replaced by tactics that prioritize flanking and the use of distraction utilities.
Embark Studios reiterated that it will continue to monitor the weapon’s performance on global servers in the coming days. If Caso data shows that Il Toro has become excessively weak or remains outside the balance curve, further fine-tuning may be applied in smaller patches. The flexibility of the modification system also allows dedicated players to recover some of the lost power through investments in in-game technology.
The importance of upgrades and modules for high rarity weapons
One of the central objectives of version 1.20.0 is to enhance the technological progression system that defines the extraction genre. By making Il Toro more dependent on higher-level modules and upgrades, the developers ensure that veteran players have a tangible, hard-earned advantage. Isso prevents new users from eliminating experienced teams using only basic equipment without any prior investment in their workshop.
New cosmetics and customization options for the Raiders
To balance the technical tone of the fixes, the introduction of the Rawhide suit offers a new aesthetic inspired by elements of urban endurance and survival. The two new hair options allow the community to visually differentiate their avatars on an increasingly crowded battlefield. Esses items are available in the customization interface and do not affect combat attributes, maintaining the competitive integrity of Arc Raiders.
Continuous evolution perspective based on direct community feedback
Embark Studios’s agility in responding to criticism about Il Toro and the coin farming system demonstrates a commitment to long-term balance. Patch 1.20.0 is seen as a necessary response to stabilize the gameplay environment ahead of major seasonal events scheduled for the remainder of the year. Transparent communication between developers and players remains the main pillar for growing the active user base.
The community has reacted mixedly on social media, with many praising the end of the “shotgun meta”, while others lament the end of easy profit from Energy Clips. However, most analysts agree that these changes are fundamental so that the internal economy does not suffer inflation that makes elite items inaccessible to new players. The focus now turns to which weapons will occupy the space left by Il Toro in the coming weeks of intense competition.