Understanding the Outdated Game Client Error

What This Error Means

The Outdated Game Client error in ARC Raiders shows up when your installed game version is older than what the servers are running. This error locks you out of Speranza and the Rust Belt until you update.

All platforms get hit by this equally. Steam Deck, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, desktop PC players can all run into it.

Why This Error Occurs

You'll see this error in three situations:

During Patch Deployment: When Embark Studios releases a new patch for bug fixes, stability improvements, or content additions, the game servers update first. If your local installation hasn't caught up yet, you'll hit this error when trying to connect.

Mid-Session Updates: If you're already playing when an update drops, you might keep going without issues. But you won't be able to join friends who've updated to the latest version. Trying to connect with them triggers the Outdated Game Client error.

Platform-Specific Rollout Delays: Updates sometimes hit different platforms at different times. Players on platforms that haven't received the update yet can't join the game until their system gets it.

Version Mismatch Details

Even tiny hotfixes cause this error. If a small patch drops while you're in-game, it'll desync your client from the server. Doesn't matter if it's only a few kilobytes. This creates a version mismatch that blocks your connection and displays the error.

The error is basically the game's way of making sure everyone runs compatible versions that can talk to the current server infrastructure.

How to Fix the Error: Step-by-Step Solutions

The Core Solution

To fix the Outdated Game Client error, download and install the latest version of ARC Raiders or the newest available patch. Your platform should handle this automatically when updates go live, but sometimes you'll need to do it manually.

Platform-Specific Fix Instructions

Steam Deck Users

Here's how to update ARC Raiders on Steam Deck:

Navigate to ARC Raiders in your library
Tap on the game to open its details
Select "Properties" from the menu
Go to the "Installed Files" section
Click "Verify Integrity of Game Files"

This verification process checks your installation against the latest version. If an update is available or files are missing, it'll automatically prompt a download and installation.

Pro Tip

The file verification compares your local installation to the server version, spots any differences, and downloads what you need to get current.

PlayStation 5 Users

To manually check for and install updates on PlayStation:

Find the ARC Raiders application on your dashboard
Highlight the game icon
Press the "Options" button on your controller
Select "Check for Updates" from the menu

The system will search for available patches and start downloading any it finds.

This forces your PlayStation to query the server for the latest version info, bypassing the automatic update system if it hasn't kicked in yet.

Xbox Series X|S Users

Xbox players should follow this process:

Open the "Manage Games and Add-ons" menu
Find ARC Raiders in your game list
Navigate to the "Updates" tab
Check for any pending patches that need installation

Any available updates for ARC Raiders will show up here with installation options.

The Updates tab gives you a centralized spot for all pending game patches, letting you manually trigger installations that might not have started on their own.

Advanced Troubleshooting

When Standard Updates Don't Resolve the Issue

If you've successfully installed the latest patch but you're still getting the Outdated Game Client error, you'll need to dig deeper.

File Verification

Make sure your game files are completely verified and accurate. Even with the latest patch installed, corrupted or incomplete files can cause version mismatch errors. Use the platform-specific verification methods described above to confirm your installation is 100 percent complete.

Note

Partial downloads or corrupted files during the update process can leave you with an incomplete version that the server doesn't recognize as current.

Complete Reinstallation

If nothing else works, do a complete uninstall and reinstall of ARC Raiders:

Uninstall the game entirely from your system
Restart your platform
Download and install the most recent version from scratch

This takes time and it's frustrating, but it guarantees you'll have a clean installation of the current version without any corrupted or outdated files causing problems.

Warning

Use this approach if file verification doesn't fix the issue and you've confirmed the latest patch is installed. A complete reinstall removes all variables and gives you a fresh start.

Understanding Update Timing and Server Synchronization

Why Updates Cause Temporary Access Issues

When Embark Studios deploys a patch, there's a window where the game servers update to the new version while player clients are still catching up. Mismatches happen naturally during this transition as part of the rollout process.

The error should fix itself once the patch fully rolls out to all players and the game version syncs with the servers. Updates and servers sometimes don't align right away, which leads to these temporary version mismatches.

Cross-Platform Play Considerations

Players trying to join friends on different platforms might hit this error if updates roll out to platforms at different times. PC players might get an update before console players, preventing them from playing together until all platforms run the same version.

This is temporary and resolves once the update finishes rolling out across all supported platforms.

Preventing Future Occurrences

Enable Automatic Updates

To minimize how often you see this error, turn on automatic updates on your platform:

Steam/Steam Deck: Set games to update automatically in Steam settings
PlayStation 5: Enable automatic downloads and updates in system settings
Xbox Series X|S: Turn on automatic updates in console settings

With automatic updates enabled, your system will download and install patches as soon as they're available. This cuts down on version mismatches when you try to play.

Pro Tip

If automatic updates are unreliable or you've had your console offline, manually check for updates before launching ARC Raiders. This proactive approach makes sure you're running the latest version before trying to connect to servers.

What to Expect After Fixing

Once you've successfully updated to the latest version and resolved the error, you should be able to:

Access Speranza without connection issues
Enter the Rust Belt for extraction missions
Join friends who are also on the current version
Take advantage of any bug fixes, stability improvements, or new content included in the patch

The game should work normally until the next update cycle. You might need to repeat the update process if your system doesn't handle it automatically.

Additional Context

Why This Error Exists

The Outdated Game Client error serves an important function in multiplayer games. It stops players on incompatible versions from trying to connect, which could cause crashes, desyncs, or gameplay issues. By enforcing version matching, Embark Studios makes sure all players have a stable, consistent experience.

Error Frequency

This error becomes more common during active development periods when Embark Studios frequently releases patches. Following major updates, you might see this error pop up multiple times as hotfixes and stability patches roll out quickly.

As the game matures and gets fewer frequent updates, you'll run into this error less often.