It’s no secret that cheating has been one of the biggest issues in Arc Raiders. While Embark is trying to make the game fun for everyone, some players simply don’t want to play fair. Unfortunately, catching and banning all of them is nearly impossible, which is what the developer recently emphasized.
Anti-cheat bans are a lot more complicated than many players think. After all, Embark needs to make sure that only cheaters in Arc Raiders are banned, not everyone. The system is far from perfect and has resulted in false positive bans in the past, but the development team is constantly working on improving it.
How anti-cheat system works in Arc Raiders
In a recent post, Embark explained how the anti-cheat system works in Arc Raiders, calling it a studio-wide effort. The in-game anti-cheat solution “combines kernel-level protection from Easy Anti-Cheat with detection capabilities powered by machine-learning (ML) models, trained on a constant flow of player telemetry.” Embark also confirmed additional security layers, though details were withheld for security reasons.
Embark also called kernel-level detection a necessary tool that targets the most harmful cheats. On top of this, the developer announced a new kernel-level solution that is in the testing phase. This new solution should improve cheater detection and ban precision in the extraction shooter.
Contrary to popular belief, Embark does not only use AI tools to ban cheaters. While the team does use machine learning, it is just one part of the entire system. Additionally, this has been one of the most effective anti-cheat tools in Arc Raiders.
Banning cheaters in Arc Raiders can be challenging
One of the biggest anti-cheat challenges that Embark is facing is distinguishing the difference between legitimate accessibility users and cheaters. Players with disabilities often rely on adaptive controllers or custom input devices to play comfortably. Since official accessibility solutions can be expensive, these players sometimes use cheaper third-party alternatives, which can trigger false positive bans.
The problem is that some of the same hardware categories are also commonly associated with cheating tools. Devices like Cronus Zen and XIM can be used for recoil control or quick macros, which give players a huge advantage in the multiplayer game. Because of that overlap, simply detecting the hardware itself isn’t enough for anti-cheat systems.
According to Embark, the focus is instead placed on player intent. Rather than instantly flagging or banning players, the game uses its powerful anti-cheat system to analyze player behavior in Arc Raiders and determine whether or not the player is cheating. The game studio says its partnership with Anybrain is helping improve detection accuracy over time, especially as more accessibility hardware enters the market.
Finally, the development team revealed that every ban appeal is reviewed by a person. The process isn’t automated, and Embark keeps refining it as more cases come through. The team understands that waiting for a review can be frustrating, but it is necessary to look at each case separately to ensure fair gameplay.
In other news, a huge Arc Raiders leak reveals a player trading feature, a new map, and additional content coming in the future. Embark has also recently adjusted regional pricing in the extraction shooter.
