Any account caught cheating in ARC Raiders is now permanently banned, “no warnings, no second chances,” Embark Studios executive producer Aleks said in an anti-cheat update on September 30, 2026. The post, which comes ahead of the game’s big October 8 update, also says the studio has cut queue teaming in solo lobbies by 85%.
The New Ban Rules
Embark admits it got this wrong at first: “Early on, we were overly cautious about applying permanent bans to first-time cheaters.” That has changed:
- Permanent bans are standard for every known cheat program, for first offenders too.
- License restrictions: a banned copy of the game can’t be used on another account.
- Linked accounts: any account ever tied to a banned copy of the game is also permanently banned.
- Hardware bans: Embark has lowered the evidence threshold for banning a machine, and plans to extend hardware bans to far more systems “later in the year.”
On detection, the game already combines Denuvo’s kernel-level protection, Anybrain’s detection and Embark’s own machine-learning models, with a human reviewing appeals. Embark is also testing a newer system, Elytra, in The Finals, and hopes to bring it to ARC Raiders.
Queue Teaming Is Down 85%
The other big fix targets players who coordinate to land in the same solo lobby and gang up on people who queued alone. A few days ago Embark started keeping known teaming groups apart in matchmaking. Five days later, it says, 85% fewer players were doing it, and spoiled raids dropped from about 1 in 50 to 1 in 300, “with no meaningful impact to queue times.” Teaming up with someone you meet mid-raid through proximity chat is still allowed.
What This Means for Players
If you’ve quit solo queue because of teamers, it’s worth another look. The same goes for players worried about cheaters, though Embark is honest that hardware bans are “not a silver bullet” and that some bans take time because the system watches several matches before acting. It also says its team reviews clips posted online, so reporting cheaters with evidence helps.
The October 8 update is next. Before it lands, catch up on how the premium reward pass pays for itself and the PvE toggle test Embark ran. Our best PC co-op games of 2026 list has more to play with a squad.
When and Where
- Ban policy: in effect now.
- Wider hardware bans: planned for later in 2026.
- Next big update: October 8, 2026.
- Platforms: PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Source: Embark Studios, ARC Raiders Steam announcement, September 30, 2026.