ARC Raiders Update 1.42.0 at a Glance

ARC Raiders update 1.42.0 is a smaller live patch, but it still brings several meaningful changes for active players. The headline additions are Phantom Targets Part 2, a new Raider project tied to glitched wasp drops, a fresh cosmetic set, improved regional scheduling for map conditions, and another round of fair play and anti-cheat actions. There are also audio improvements, gameplay fixes, crash and stability work, and a handful of quality-of-life changes.

For players focused on smooth progression, this patch matters less because of raw power gains and more because it improves access to event content and time-sensitive map modifiers. It also introduces a new source of event loot that can feed project completion and reward collection without completely changing the current combat meta.

This breakdown covers what actually changed, why it matters, and what players should prioritize first after logging in.

Phantom Targets Part 2 Adds New Project Goals and Event Loot

The biggest gameplay-facing addition in 1.42.0 is the second phase of the Phantom Targets event. The story framing points to erratic wasps as the source of the strange sightings, with these ARC units behaving differently from normal. They emit unusual sounds, move in irregular patterns, and appear to carry unfamiliar tech components.

In practical terms, this means players now have a new event project with multiple pages of objectives and reward steps. The project asks players to collect specific glitched components dropped by these altered wasps. Reported examples include glitched ARC circuitry, glitched ARC light rings, glitched power converters, glitched transmitters, phased arrays, and glitched wasp parts.

This is the kind of event structure that fits nicely into normal loot runs. Instead of forcing a completely separate activity loop, it layers new collection targets onto existing combat routes. If wasps are already part of a path, the event gives more reason to engage them rather than skip them.

What the new glitched wasps seem to do

The altered wasps appear to stand out in a few ways:

• They use distinct audio cues compared to standard versions.
• They visually read as unstable or glitched.
• They can drop event-specific components needed for project progress.
• Their loot quality appears better than ordinary filler drops in many encounters.

That last point is especially important. Early impressions suggest these enemies may be a good source of targeted event materials, with purple and gold-quality drops showing up often enough to make them worth hunting. For players trying to maintain efficient ARC Raiders extraction loot value while also progressing an event, that is a strong incentive.

Are the rewards worth farming?

The reward pool does not look game-breaking, but it is still useful. Players can expect a mix of cosmetics, charms, attachments, and some blueprint-related rewards. Event projects like this are often most valuable for filling out side progression and collecting limited-time unlocks rather than replacing top-tier endgame farming.

If your goal is efficiency, the best approach is to treat glitched wasps as bonus targets during regular raids. That way, you gain event progress, extra loot and resources, and a better shot at useful ARC Raiders Blueprints or attachments without sacrificing your usual route planning.

Regional Map Condition Scheduling Is the Most Important System Change

The most impactful long-term adjustment in update 1.42.0 may actually be the change to map condition scheduling. Instead of using a single global schedule, map conditions are now offset by region. That means condition rotations should better match local peak play hours instead of favoring one part of the world over another.

This is a major quality-of-life improvement because map conditions influence when certain routes, farming plans, and project objectives are realistically worth doing. Under a global system, players in one region could consistently miss valuable windows simply because those conditions appeared while they were offline.

Regional scheduling should improve all of the following:

• Access to event-friendly conditions during normal play hours.
• Reliability for planned farming sessions.
• Opportunities to target specific loot environments.
• Fairness between regions for progression-focused players.

For anyone who depends on conditions for loot routes, this change could be more important than any single bug fix in the patch. It creates a healthier rhythm for raids and makes time-limited opportunities easier to use consistently.

There is one short-term caveat: external condition trackers may not immediately match the in-game reality while systems are updated. For now, players should trust the live game state first if a website tracker looks incorrect.

Embark also used 1.42.0 to give another update on anti-cheat and fair play enforcement. The key message is that the team is continuing to investigate third-party software, recently popularized cheating tools, and account behavior tied to economy exploits.

This matters for more than competitive integrity. In an extraction game, cheating and duplication damage the value of progression systems, distort the loot economy, and undermine the grind attached to gear upgrades and project rewards. When exploiters can generate or manipulate resources, the wider player base feels the impact through less trustworthy progression pacing.

The update specifically emphasizes a few points:

• Reports about suspicious software are investigated before action is taken.
• Downloading unofficial tools can risk both account security and personal data.
• Sanctions are ongoing for accounts tied to cheats and economy abuse.
• Embark is working on making repeat offenses and account replacement harder.

From a player perspective, this is reassuring because stable progression depends on a healthier ecosystem. Whether someone is farming ARC Raiders crafting Materials, chasing rare project rewards, or preserving the value of their stash, stronger enforcement helps the game feel more legitimate.

Players should also take the account security warning seriously. Enabling two-factor authentication or passkeys on connected accounts is one of the simplest ways to protect purchases, progression resources, and personal data.

The Tick Hunter Set Expands Cosmetic Rewards

On the cosmetic side, update 1.42.0 introduces the Tick Hunter set. Visually, it leans into a dark, practical raider look with a strong silhouette and optional hood styling. While cosmetics do not directly affect performance, they are still a meaningful part of event engagement because they give players a visible reward path beyond raw loot.

For players who care about account progression in a broader sense, these event-linked cosmetics help make routine raids feel more purposeful. Completing objectives for appearance rewards can be a nice change of pace from pure stat chasing or material farming.

The patch also mentions new Twitch Drops and community-created rubber duck contest winners that will eventually appear as decorative den items. These additions do not change combat, but they show Embark continuing to support lighter community-facing content between larger gameplay updates.

Audio Changes Could Quietly Improve Combat Readability

Several audio updates in 1.42.0 may end up being more valuable than they first appear. Extraction shooters live and die on information clarity, and sound is one of the most important parts of that.

The patch includes refined indoor footsteps and movement sounds, removal of some scuff noise, better distance audibility, updated occlusion behavior, clearer concrete surface cues, and improved foliage movement audio. There are also unique footstep sounds for plastic, cloth, and tarp surfaces, along with differentiated firing audio for all tier three magazine upgrades.

These adjustments should help in a few areas:

• Reading enemy movement more accurately inside buildings.
• Identifying surface transitions during close engagements.
• Separating useful movement information from messy noise.
• Improving overall awareness during tense extractions.

Players running a cautious ARC Raiders survival loadout items setup may feel these changes more than aggressive roamers, since defensive play relies heavily on hearing approach angles and movement timing.

Take a look at: our Phantom Targets prep guide

Gameplay Fixes and Utility Changes

The patch also includes several direct gameplay fixes. Some are niche, while others address long-standing frustrations.

• Queen Matriarch stomp attacks should no longer hit through walls in some cases.
• The photoelectric probe now works against turbine lightning attacks and Matriarch missiles.
• Search coil traps now have spawn protection to avoid punishing players immediately on entry.
• Quick wheel slots can now be rebound.
• The Dabra, Holecracker, and Rascal now deal damage correctly in the practice range.

The photoelectric probe interaction is particularly interesting because it broadens the value of a utility choice that may have been overlooked in certain PvE situations. Any item that improves survivability against major ARC threats can become more attractive when players are planning specialized boss or event runs.

The spawn protection on search coil traps is also a welcome fix. Deaths or damage taken before a player can even meaningfully react are rarely satisfying, and this should make raid starts feel fairer.

Map, Performance, and Stability Fixes

Berry City zip lines were adjusted so they can be interacted with properly after repositioning. That is a small fix on paper, but navigation bugs can have outsized consequences in an extraction game where movement options often determine whether a fight is escapable.

Performance work in this patch focuses on UI texture streaming cache improvements for better memory efficiency and reliability, along with several crash fixes and broader stability updates. That may be the most important category for players who have been dealing with repeated crashes at spawn or mid-raid.

Crashes are especially punishing in ARC Raiders because they do not just interrupt a match; they threaten loot, time investment, and project progress. Any patch that reduces instability has real progression value, even if it does not add flashy content.

Players who are bottlenecked by technical issues often lose out on more than combat success. They also lose chances to collect ARC Raiders Materials, finish event tasks, and secure gear needed for future upgrades.

If you want to make the most of this patch without wasting raid time, a simple priority order makes sense.

1. Check your regional map conditions first

Since scheduling has changed, get a feel for when your best conditions now appear. This will shape future route planning more than any cosmetic or one-off reward.

2. Start Phantom Targets Part 2 immediately

Even if the rewards are modest, beginning the project early lets you accumulate progress naturally while the player base is still actively hunting the same targets.

3. Add wasps to your normal farming path

Do not overcommit unless you confirm a highly efficient route. The best value comes from folding glitched wasp kills into existing raids rather than forcing inefficient detours.

4. Test the audio and stability changes in low-risk runs

Before taking expensive kits into serious raids, verify whether the patch improved your crash frequency and whether the sound changes affect your combat reads.

Take a look at: our broader update outlook for ARC Raiders

The probe interaction against turbine lightning and Matriarch missiles could influence future loadout planning, especially for players focused on boss content and safer clears.

What Update 1.42.0 Means for Progression

This patch is not a meta reset, and it is not a giant content expansion. Instead, it is a maintenance-heavy update with one useful event layer and one genuinely important systems fix.

The event gives players more reasons to engage specific ARC enemies and collect special drops. The regional condition change makes the game more respectful of player time. The anti-cheat messaging supports a healthier economy. And the stability work, if effective, may improve the most basic part of the experience: staying in the raid long enough to extract.

For players trying to keep progression smooth, that combination matters. Better access to conditions, safer event farming, and more reliable raids all contribute to more consistent stash growth and less wasted effort. Anyone looking to reduce grind pressure will naturally benefit from efficient loot management, smart route planning, and enough ARC Raiders progression resources to keep projects and upgrades moving.

That is why 1.42.0 feels more useful than dramatic. It improves the structure around the game, even if it does not completely transform the action inside each raid.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start Phantom Targets Part 2 in ARC Raiders?

Open the new Raider project tied to the event and begin collecting the glitched components dropped by altered wasps during raids.

Are glitched wasps worth farming?

Yes, especially if they are on your normal route. They appear to drop valuable event items often enough to justify the ammo and time.

The regional map condition schedule is likely the most important long-term change because it improves access to useful conditions during local peak hours.

Did update 1.42.0 fix crashes?

The patch includes several crash and stability improvements, but players should test a few lower-risk raids first before bringing expensive gear.

Does this patch help progression?

Yes. Between event loot, better condition timing, and stability fixes, it should be easier to maintain steady progress and collect needed in-game items.