On June 30th, ARC Raiders released its 1.35.0 store update. While smaller than a major content patch, its significance far surpasses the few new skins on the store page - Denuvo Anti-Cheat is now mandatory for all players, marking a major structural upgrade to the game's fair competitive defenses. We will detail the specific content of this update, the existing vulnerabilities, and the impact of these updates on your future gear acquisition.
From Phased Testing to Full Implementation
Since its launch, ARC Raiders has faced increasingly serious cheating issues, causing ordinary players to frequently experience silent deaths and being instantly killed from a distance, severely damaging the gaming experience. Common cheating methods include wallhacks (seeing hidden players' locations), aimbots (auto-aiming kills), and wallhacks. This situation not only frustrates ordinary players but also continuously troubles professional players and well-known streamers.
Back on May 19, 2026, in the 1.29.0 update announcement, the studio announced that Denuvo Anti-Cheat would be added to ARC Raiders in phases. After more than a month of phased testing, the 1.35.0 update officially ended this limited testing phase - Denuvo Anti-Cheat is now a mandatory component for all players, and the previous situation where some players could bypass it by forcing EAC (Easy Anti-Cheat) is no longer possible. At the same time, the studio also clearly stated that it is preparing a more detailed blog on fair competition, which will be released when it is ready.
Denuvo Anti-Cheat VS Denuvo DRM
Denuvo Anti-Cheat and Denuvo DRM are the root cause of the widespread discussion and even panic in the community regarding this update, but such panic is actually unnecessary. Denuvo Anti-Cheat and Denuvo DRM are two completely different products, running on completely different infrastructures. The DRM version, due to code obfuscation of the exe file and continuous offline verification loops, did indeed cause performance issues in some games. However, ARC Raiders now uses an integrated anti-cheat solution, not DRM.
Specifically, Denuvo Anti-Cheat in ARC Raiders is a real-time cheat script and vulnerability detection system that runs only when the multiplayer client is active, employing a ring-zero driver-isolated target architecture. Once you close the game, Denuvo Anti-Cheat is completely uninstalled and no longer runs in the background. The studio has also explicitly promised not to deploy DRM in the game and uses both Denuvo Anti-Cheat and Anybrain systems to further strengthen the protection system.
Performance Impact
Although the official statement emphasizes efforts to minimize the impact on performance, actual testing shows that there are indeed some performance differences between different anti-cheat solutions.
Through comparative testing of the global client (Denuvo Anti-Cheat) and Chinese client (Tencent Anti-Cheat Expert) under the same settings, the global client showed a difference of approximately 10-15 FPS compared to the Chinese client, which translates to about a 10% performance loss. The studio also stated that it will continue to monitor Denuvo's real-time performance and system resource usage and will further optimize it in the future.
CN Client Strategy
It's worth noting that the global and CN versions have taken drastically different approaches to anti-cheat strategies. The global version focuses on backend-driven verification - the full deployment of Denuvo Anti-Cheat. CN version uses Tencent Anti-Cheat Expert (ACE) and has built a three-layered ecosystem around player protection:
- Security Framework: Integration of Tencent ACE with PC ecosystem
- Task Balancing: Increasing the overall proportion of PvE daily tasks
- Operational Testing: Adding security protocols to all maps
During testing, CN client will also publicly release the list of banned player UIDs and the number of bans - a common practice in Asian games, effectively signaling to the community that we are actively banning violators. Many players in the community hope that Western studios will also adopt this approach to enhance community confidence in anti-cheat efforts.
Bogwalker Set & Sirena Dorata Ship Model
Bogwalker Set Adds Two Color Schemes
The 1.35.0 update continues to expand the store items. Bogwalker Set welcomes two new color variants: Blue Frost and Camo.
Players who have already purchased the set will automatically receive both colorways without needing to pay again. However, there is currently a display bug in the store interface - some players may see a prompt requiring them to purchase the Blue Frost colorway. The official website has confirmed this is a display error; players who already own the Bogwalker set should receive both colorways for free. Please refrain from purchasing again until the bug is fixed. If you accidentally purchase it, don't worry, the official website will issue a refund later.
Sirena Dorata Ship Model Now Available
Sirena Dorata ship model has been added to the weekly rotating inventory in the store. Ship models are a type of collectible trinket in ARC Raiders, obtainable through beachcombing and other methods on the Riven Tides map. For players who enjoy collecting ARC Raiders items, this is a great opportunity to complete their missing ship model collection (available from 4 AM Pacific Time) - be sure to acquire it before the next inventory rotation.
This 1.35.0 update for ARC Raiders won't eliminate all cheating with a single click, but it clearly sends a signal: the studio is elevating fair competition from a fringe issue to core infrastructure. The full deployment of Denuvo Anti-Cheat, along with the respective explorations in anti-cheat measures by CN and global versions, collectively outlines the game's strategic blueprint for a balance between security and long-term economics.