On April 28, Embark released the major “Riven Tides” update for ARC Raiders. This included, among other things, a new map, two new items, and a new ARC called “Turbine.” Additionally, two new projects and the next expedition were launched. However, alongside the new content, there were also balancing changes – which are causing discussions within the community.
What is the problem with the update? Many players criticize various balancing changes of the “Riven Tides” update. For example, the “Photoelectric Cloak” was nerfed, which allowed players to hide briefly from ARCs. It has “overperformed,” according to the patch notes of Riven Tides, and consumes its energy much faster now – meaning it hides players for a shorter time from ARCs. On Reddit, some users complain that the cloak is now useless.
Moreover, the durability of different weapons has been changed depending on the rarity tier. Gray, green, and blue weapons now break faster, as durability loss per shot has drastically increased. Some players criticize that the developers do not want players to have fun with “cheap” weapons they can afford. Instead of nerfing the “cheap” weapons, they should buff epic and legendary weapons, it is said.
Nerfs evoke memories for gamers
Which shooter is ARC Raiders now being compared to? There are many comparisons to Helldivers 2. One user comments: “This is the Swedish balancing model we’ve seen in Helldivers” (via Reddit).
Players accuse Embark of patching the fun out of the game. A post with over 4,400 upvotes quotes a fabricated statement from the developers on Reddit: “We identified an issue where players were having fun in the game. We have fixed it.”
Another Reddit post with over 5,100 upvotes contains a similar “quote” and a meme showing a grim reaper with a bloody scythe visiting the “Photoelectric Cloak” after having been with the Hullcracker, the Trailblazer, and the Wolfpack.
What does this have to do with Helldivers 2? Helldivers 2 had a surprisingly strong launch in February 2024, similar to ARC Raiders, quickly becoming a genuine shooter hit with over 400,000 concurrent players on Steam alone – but then the game by Arrowhead entered a downward spiral for months, largely due to heavily criticized nerfs.
It started with the first major balance changes in March 2024 and continued in April when a patch made changes to 24 weapons. Over several months, each new update brought a series of strong nerfs that were received negatively by players. Every time there were significant weapon nerfs, players got angry and criticism followed.
Eventually, even the former CEO of Helldivers developer Arrowhead addressed the community, stating they had gone too far with the nerfs, and announced improvements to the balancing policy. You can read our news on the topic here: Helldivers 2: “We’ve gone too far” – Chief talks about nerfs, believes they’re patching the fun out
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