Arc Raiders pushes emergency patch after PC players exploit hidden dev console

Embark Studios has released an emergency hotfix for ARC Raiders after PC players were found exploiting hidden developer console commands to gain a major competitive advantage in live matches.

The issue centered around a launch option, “-newconsole -log,” which allowed PC users to access in-game console settings that were never meant to be player-facing. Using the command, players could increase their field of view to around 120 degrees, disable environmental fog and shadows, and in some cases even reconnect to matches after being eliminated.

The exploit quickly drew backlash from console players, particularly in crossplay lobbies, after clips showcasing the advantage began circulating widely on social media.

Embark issues swift fix to dev console exploit

Reports of the exploit spread rapidly on X, with multiple community accounts sharing footage comparing normal gameplay to the altered visuals. Players were disabling shadows and environmental effects to gain a significant visual advantage. Exploits also included super-wide FOV and visibility through smoke or darkness.

Embark Studios confirmed the fix Saturday morning. In a message shared on the official Arc Raiders Discord, community manager Ossen said the studio had pushed a hotfix removing the “NewConsole” command entirely.

According to Embark, the feature was never intended to be accessible to players. Ossen added that the team is continuing to investigate related reports and may take further action where appropriate to protect fair play and the integrity of the game.

Shortly after the update was pushed, an in-game update prompt began appearing in-game preventing players from joining matches until they updated their game.

While some players noted that the exploit briefly allowed for an immersive first-person-style experience, the broader consensus was that the console commands provided an overwhelming and unfair advantage, particularly against console users, Xbox and PlayStation, who had no access to similar tools.