ARC Raiders Devs Confirm ‘X-Ray’ Bots: Flying Enemies Could See Through Bushes in Server Slam

The recent Server Slam playtest for Embark Studios’ highly anticipated third-person extraction shooter, ARC Raiders, was an overwhelming success in one crucial aspect: it tested the limits of the game, uncovering critical bugs right before its October 30th launch. While the test proved the servers could handle the massive influx of players, a major gameplay issue emerged that had a profound effect on the player experience, particularly regarding stealth and survival.

Players widely reported that the ubiquitous and oppressive ARC flying drones (often referred to as ‘Rattlers’ or ‘Hornets’) seemed to possess an almost psychic ability to spot and target players, even when they were seemingly concealed. Now, Embark Studios has officially addressed the frustration, confirming that this was a genuine bug, not an intentional design choice for the AI enemies.

The Problem: Foliage Was Not Cover

The core loop of ARC Raiders—scavenging for loot on the lethal surface and planning a successful extraction—relies heavily on situational awareness, quick movement, and the ability to find and use cover. The expansive, overgrown map features large amounts of thick foliage and bushes designed to offer an element of stealth against both the ARC machines and rival Raiders (other players).

During the Server Slam, however, this crucial element of gameplay broke down. The flying ARC units, already designed to be a formidable threat, were inadvertently able to ‘see through trees and bushes’. This bug stripped players of a fundamental defensive mechanic, turning attempts to stealthily reposition or avoid combat into immediate, high-pressure engagements. The PvPvE tension of the game—where the environment’s enemies often weaken players for rival Raiders—was drastically skewed, leading to frustrating and unavoidable deaths.

This issue was compounded by a separate, but related, graphics inconsistency where foliage placement varied significantly between different player graphics settings (Epic, High, Medium, Low), a common problem in competitive shooters that gives a distinct advantage to those playing on lower settings.

The Developer Response and The Big Nerf

In a direct response to the voluminous community feedback, the ARC Raiders development team at Embark Studios has committed to a crucial fix before the official release.

• Confirmed Fix: Embark has explicitly stated that they will “nerf the vision of the flying ARCs.” They confirmed that the bots’ ability to see through natural cover like bushes and trees was a bug that made them “too strong” and that this behavior will be removed for the full launch.
• Other Pre-Launch Changes: The developers also noted they are working on server stability, finding the right balance between graphical fidelity and performance (an attempt to address the foliage inconsistency), and making overall rebalancing tweaks.

This transparent and swift action by Embark is critical for the launch of ARC Raiders. The extraction shooter genre is highly competitive, and the game’s success relies on a fair, challenging, and tactical experience. Removing the ‘X-Ray’ bot vision restores the integrity of the map design and rewards players who utilize environmental cover as intended. For the large audience using high CPC keywords like “PvPvE shooter” and “open-world survival game” to track the title, this is a significant and reassuring piece of gaming news.

The ultimate goal of the Server Slam was to break the game so the developers could fix it. By all accounts, the Server Slam succeeded, and the promised AI fix is a massive win for Raiders everywhere who just want a place to hide.