The Arc Raiders Riven Tides update, the extraction shooter's biggest patch in some time, is out Tuesday, April 28, bringing a new beachside map and a massive flying Arc fittingly called the Arc Turbine. Developer Embark Studios also announced new resource projects and a unique map condition to fill out the update alongside the latest Expedition.
The Riven Tides map is the centerpiece, shaking up exploration and whisking players to Azzurro beach. Creeping sand consumes the ruins of a resort – parasols, water slides, tennis courts, and a rusty harbor nearby. It looks like quite a large map, and a welcome refresh for players who've gotten plenty familiar with the likes of Blue Gate and Spaceport.
Looming over those shifting sands, you'll find the Arc Turbine, which certainly seems to be the massive flying bot previously spotted in hurricane storms. Embark describes this enormous, ominous cone as "a formidable, new flying ARC equipped with defensive measures to deter Raiders from approaching. Raiders will need to track and hunt the ARC Turbine in order to fight it and recover its loot."
The Arc Turbine is a far cry from the Queen and Matriarch, spider-like machines which are largely fought in the same way: peel the legs for loot, or expose the core for direct damage. The size, shape, and flying nature of the Arc Turbine will require dramatically different strategies. I look forward to seeing people find a way to hit it with the ol' snap hook and deadline mine combo.
An exclusive minor map condition called Beachcombing will also appear on Riven Tides, spawning "loot hidden under the sand along the coast." By completing the new Avian Alarm Raider project, another five-stage resource grind, players can unlock a Dockmaster's Detector which seems to aid in uncovering that buried treasure.
Another project similar to the Close Scrutiny grind will run from April 28 through May 25. This event, Last Resort, will automatically convert any XP earned on any map into merits for progression, though you can earn bonus merits by gathering miniature ship models "found throughout the world." In other words, play the game and you'll unlock stuff, including some of the cosmetics and free Raider Tokens coming in Riven Tides. A few of those getups (per the above image) play with Arc Raiders' grounded look a bit, channeling pirate nobles and sci-fi soldiers.
At the same time, the previously announced April-May Expedition, which features a new damage challenge where players earn bonus skill points through combat rather than stash value, will run from April 28 through May 11. Following voluminous player feedback, Embark extended the deadline for the damage-dealing challenge.
Additionally, Arc Raiders players on PS5 Pro can look forward to a new feature in Riven Tides: upgraded PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) for "sharper" visuals, with particular emphasis on environmental details.
Arc Raiders has understandably started to feel a bit stale to hardcore, longtime players, but there's nothing like a new map and a new boss fight to reinvigorate a community. Last month, production director Caio Braga said Embark is eyeing ways to add more for the folks who are "reaching the end of our content."
