A security hole in Arc Raiders allowed pirated copies to connect to official multiplayer servers this week. The vulnerability raised immediate concerns about cheater influxes before Embark Studios patched it within 24 hours.
How the Exploit Worked
The crack exploited a gap in Arc Raiders' authentication system. Players without legitimate copies could create Embark accounts and access official servers, where they'd be treated as legitimate players.
The root cause was simple: Arc Raiders wasn't verifying game ownership on the server side. The system checked for valid Embark credentials but never confirmed whether players actually owned the game through Steam or Epic. Anyone who could launch the client could get online.
Most game cracks only enable offline play. This one gave full multiplayer access on the same servers paying customers use. That distinction turned a piracy problem into a potential cheating crisis.
Arc Raiders' Strong Position
The breach came during a high point for Embark's extraction shooter. Since launching in October 2025, Arc Raiders has sold over 12 million copies and won Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards last December.
The game peaked at 481,966 concurrent players on Steam at launch. Recent daily counts still exceed 319,000. That success made Arc Raiders an obvious piracy target.
Disposable Cheater Accounts
The bigger issue wasn't lost sales but cheater proliferation.
When cheaters can access official servers without buying the game, bans become meaningless. They create a new account and keep going. Zero cost, zero consequences.
Arc Raiders already had a cheating problem before this exploit surfaced. Shroud and other high-profile streamers have called it out repeatedly. Embark has acknowledged the issue and continues working on countermeasures.
Players noticed the impact almost immediately. Some reported getting 19 RMT spam friend requests in a single night, up from the usual one or two. Fresh Steam accounts with level 0 profiles and private settings became common sights in matches.
Easy Anti-Cheat Under Pressure
Arc Raiders runs Easy Anti-Cheat as its primary defense. The system works, but dedicated cheaters have found workarounds even without the piracy exploit.
Extraction shooters face unique anti-cheat challenges. Permanent item loss on death creates strong incentives to cheat. The stakes are high enough that some players will always look for an edge, fueling an ongoing battle between developers and cheat creators.
Player Reactions
The response to this crack broke from the usual pattern. Instead of celebrating, many players expressed concern about what it meant for fair play.
Even in piracy communities, the reaction was conflicted. Multiple users said Embark deserved financial support after delivering such a polished product. Some stated the game was "worth paying the $40 for" given its quality.
Console players started discussing whether to disable cross-play as a protective measure. The exploit only affected PC access, making platform-specific matchmaking an attractive option.
The player who first reported the issue chose responsible disclosure. They contacted Embark's security team directly rather than sharing exploit details publicly. The approach drew praise from other players, who contrasted it with streamers who've demonstrated exploits to large audiences.
Embark's Quick Fix
Embark responded the same day the vulnerability was reported. The patch implemented proper server-side ownership verification, closing the gap that allowed unauthorized access.
The fix was straightforward once identified. Users who tried the crack method after the patch found it no longer worked. The turnaround time matched predictions that the solution would be simple to implement.
Future Implications
The incident highlights a basic security principle: online games need to validate ownership on the server side, not just the client side. Checking local credentials isn't enough when pirates can bypass client-side checks entirely.
Extraction shooters face heightened security challenges due to their risk/reward structure. Permanent item loss makes cheating more tempting, and free server access makes cheating cheaper.
Players worried about cheaters should report suspicious behavior through official channels. Watch for new accounts with unusually good aim or game sense. Console players can consider disabling cross-play if PC cheaters become a persistent problem.
The Bigger Picture
Arc Raiders' security hole is now patched. Embark moved fast, and the immediate threat has passed.
The game's player counts remain strong, with over 300,000 daily concurrent users on Steam. Cheating concerns persist, but they predate this exploit and will require ongoing attention regardless.
For now, the extraction shooter phenomenon continues. Embark's quick response suggests the studio takes these issues seriously, even if the original vulnerability shouldn't have existed in the first place.
