Arc Raiders Adding Kernel-Level Anti-Cheat Amid Review Pressure

Embark Studios is introducing kernel-level anti-cheat for Arc Raiders. This upgrade aims to “sharpen both detection and precision” against cheaters. The move comes as a response to growing player frustration in a game that currently holds an 84% positive rating from 238,375 Steam reviews. However, community sentiment has been trending negative lately.

The studio also shared that AI-driven systems are already actively tracking player behavior to identify suspicious activity before issuing bans. By combining behavioral AI with kernel-level access, the anti-cheat software gains a much deeper insight into system processes. This makes it tougher for cheats that work at the driver level to remain undetected.

Timing is key here. Arc Raiders has struggled since its launch, facing a drop to Mixed reviews on Steam partly due to cheating complaints and instability in crossplay. In early May 2026, Embark addressed crossplay bugs under pressure from review-bombing. The announcement about kernel-level anti-cheat shows the studio is still working to repair its reputation.

Kernel-level anti-cheat has proven effective but can be controversial in the competitive gaming scene. Riot Games’ Vanguard, which operates at the same ring-0 level, faced backlash over privacy issues when it launched with Valorant in 2020. Despite this, it remains one of the industry’s more effective cheat-prevention systems. Embark needs to communicate its plans clearly to avoid a similar backlash from its player base of over 84,000 concurrent users.

Aside from anti-cheat efforts, the game is expanding with the Riven Tides update. This update has introduced new quests, blueprint locations, and loot zones. Additionally, a leak reported by MSN hints at more content on the way. The pressing question for Embark and publisher Nexon is whether these technical improvements can stabilize the review trajectory quickly enough.

By The Numbers

Steam Review Score	84% positive
Total Steam Reviews	238,375
Current Concurrent Players	84,186
Steam Price	$39.99
Release Date	October 30, 2025

Community frustration centers on a specific issue. One Steam reviewer voiced a common request seen throughout the player base: “Make separate PvP and PvE lobbies so players can choose.” This request has popped up consistently enough to indicate it reflects a substantial segment of the audience, not just a vocal minority. It’s clear that anti-cheat alone won’t solve this problem.

What To Watch

• Kernel-level rollout timeline: Embark hasn’t announced a release date for the upgraded anti-cheat. Keep an eye out for whether it arrives before or after Steam’s review score dips further into Mixed territory.
• PvP/PvE lobby separation: This is the most frequently mentioned complaint in recent negative reviews. If Embark addresses it, expect a noticeable change in review sentiment within weeks of implementation.
• Leaked content release: The content leak reported by MSN suggests a structured update schedule is in place. If the confirmed updates are timely, it will show that Embark has stabilized its post-launch development pipeline.