ARC Raiders 1.42.0: Wasps are the source of ghost targets, the Snitch calls in a Rocketeer, and map conditions switch to local time

Embark Studios rolled out ARC Raiders update 1.42.0 on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Three changes weigh on a session: the source of the phantom targets has been identified, the Snitch now calls in extra reinforcements, and map conditions ditch the single global schedule in favor of a schedule tied to each region's peak hours.

This last point is the most structural, and the one most likely to slip under the radar: if you'd been tracking time slots to catch a particular map condition, they're worthless as of Tuesday.

A note on wording: Embark doesn't publish its patch notes in French, the body of the post stays in English even on the French-language version of the site. The game client itself is localized: ARC machines carry a French name there, and we use the ones we've identified so far — Guêpe, Frelon, Reine, Matriarche. For terms whose exact French client wording we haven't been able to verify — Snitch, Rocketeer, Firefly, Photoelectric Cloak, Surge Coil Trap, Quick Wheel, Practice Range, plus weapon names, outfits, and projects — we keep Embark's English rather than invent a translation.

Phantom targets: they're Wasps, and they're all converging on the same spot

Shani finally put a name to the source of the phantom targets, thanks to Raiders' field reports: Wasps behaving erratically.

Embark describes behavior Shani says she's never observed on these units before: they emit strange sounds, fly along irregular flight paths, and carry unidentified technology. More importantly, they all converge on a single location, and Shani is asking for help figuring out what's waiting for them there.

This is the hinge of the storyline: the first half of the project was about gathering information, the second is about following the trail to its endpoint. The Raider project Phantom Targets Part 2 has been open since 1.42.0 and rewards the Anomalia Outfit. Embark doesn't give an end date in these notes, so we won't put one forward either.

What's gotten more dangerous: the Snitch calls in reinforcements

This is the heaviest combat adjustment in the update, and it takes up just one line in the notes. The Snitch can now call in a Rocketeer. It can also bring in a duo made up of a Firefly and a Wasp.

Read it for what it is: a clear escalation in risk. Getting spotted no longer just triggers an alert — it can now bring down on your position a unit type you hadn't planned for in your escape route, and a PvP engagement that drags on within range of a Snitch can turn into several fronts at once. Embark's clarification: Snitch Scanners are not affected.

Target priority changes as a result. Taking out a Snitch before it makes its call becomes more worthwhile than before, even at the cost of the noise it makes.

What's gotten safer: five fixes that give you back health points

The trade-off is substantial: several situations where you were losing health with little you could do about it have been fixed.

The first two lines change entire fights: the stomp that went through walls made cover unreliable against the Queen and the Matriarch, and the Photoelectric Cloak becomes a real defensive tool against the Turbine and the Matriarch. As for the Practice Range fix, it cleans up weapon comparisons: your range tests with the Dolabra, the Hullcracker, or the Rascal were inaccurate.

Map conditions: the single global schedule is over

Embark is introducing Regional Map Condition Scheduling. Until now, map conditions followed a single schedule, identical for the entire planet. Starting with 1.42.0, this schedule is shifted by region, so as to fall during local peak hours.

The studio's justification comes down to one sentence: it becomes less likely to miss a map condition depending on where you're playing from.

For a European player, this is the end of hand-crafted schedule charts. If you had noticed that a condition consistently fell at a time that didn't suit you — in the middle of a workday, or in the dead of night — that observation is now obsolete. Likewise, the schedule shared by a streamer from another region no longer applies to your evening.

Embark has not published the details of the regional shifts. It is therefore impossible to recalculate your own time slots: the only reliable reference is the map condition tracker on the official website, which already incorporates the change. Check it before starting your session rather than relying on your usual habits.

1.42.0 also adds a region label on the map selection screen, which displays your current matchmaking region. Embark does not specify whether this breakdown exactly matches the map condition schedule: we are not asserting that it does. The studio is inviting players to share their feedback on its Discord, and has announced further adjustments.

Audio: four tweaks that matter in an extraction game

In an extraction game, sound is tactical information just as much as the map is. The four audio lines in 1.42.0 should therefore be read together.

• Footsteps and indoor movement: shuffling sounds have been removed, distant audibility has been improved, and occlusion and cues on concrete have been updated.
• Foliage: footstep audio in vegetation becomes clearer and more natural.
• New surfaces: plastic sheeting and tarp now have their own footstep sounds.
• Firing: all Rank 3 magazine upgrades receive a distinct firing sound.

The first three improve your ability to locate someone, but also the opponent's ability to locate you: a muted or ambiguous surface becomes an exploitable clue in both directions. The last one opens up the possibility of recognizing by ear a weapon fitted with a Rank 3 magazine — Embark doesn't describe the difference in sound, so check it out at the range.

Comfort, interface and map

• The Quick Wheel slots can now be remapped.
• A project tile no longer incorrectly displays "Part X completed" on projects that don't have parts.
• A zipline in the Buried City that couldn't be interacted with has been repositioned so it can be used again.

Anti-cheat: what Embark is announcing, and what it's asking you to do

The studio devotes an entire section to fair play. It reports improvements made with Anybrain and Denuvo Anti-Cheat, which led to swift sanctions against a large number of accounts using recently popularized cheat software. No figures are provided.

Three other efforts are announced as underway: permanent sanctions for repeat offenders, with methods aimed at making it harder to create new accounts; enhanced detection of "economy exploits", already followed by sanctions; and several initiatives against teaming and matchmaking abuse, which Embark acknowledges affects certain regions and time slots more than others.

The recommendation given to players is worth applying today rather than tomorrow: enable two-factor authentication or passkeys on all external accounts linked to your Embark ID, and don't share your credentials with anyone.

Top priorities this week

In order of urgency, here's what deserves your time today, Thursday, August 20, 2026.

1. Open Phantom Targets Part 2 and follow the Wasps trail, for the Anomalia Outfit. The Tick Hunter Set is also available.
2. Recheck the map conditions tracker before each session, while you get your bearings again.
3. Remap the Quick Wheel, now that it's possible: it's the kind of setting you keep putting off and end up paying for mid-extraction.
4. Grab the new Twitch Drops, Car Freshener and Ceramic Vase — Embark doesn't detail the requirements to obtain them in these notes, so check the official Twitch Drops page.
5. Enable two-factor authentication or passkeys on accounts linked to your Embark ID.

A word, finally, on known issues. Embark is still investigating crashes reported on Xbox Series S. On PC, crashes are linked to the Windows update KB5121003, with a workaround published by the studio while a fix is prepared. Players going through Epic may experience a sudden loss of keyboard input: Embark recommends disabling active overlays, or Alt-Tabbing out of the game and back in.