- Primary Subject: ARC Raiders – Free Loadouts System
- Key Update: Devs are considering nerfs to Free Loadouts, including inventory slot limits and item weight adjustments.
- Status: Confirmed (under consideration)
- Last Verified: January 30, 2026
- Quick Answer: ARC Raiders’ Free Loadouts may be nerfed in a future update, with possible limits on inventory slots and item weight, though unlimited use remains for now.
ARC Raiders is bound to receive more changes in its future content, and their next plans are adjusting the game’s “Free Loadout” system, a feature many players commonly use as a safety net when going on raids.
In a GamesRadar+ interview, ARC Raiders design lead Virgil Watkins mentioned that while Free Loadouts are still relatively balanced (similar to Raiders who bring their own kit), there are “other aspects of it that we’re going to look at adjusting a little bit.” Watkins added that the team is considering tweaks to the number of inventory slots available to Free Loadouts, as well as the weight of items they are allowed to carry.
Since the game’s launch in October 2025, the Free Loadouts have been an essential kit to bring for Raiders who are afraid to bring out their best items in a run. These are basically the game’s “Low Risk, High Reward” options, which have been responsible for bringing a casual looting experience without the “Gear Fear.”
For the past few months, the ARC Raiders community’s opinion on the generosity of the Free Loadouts has been split. Many prefer to keep Free Loadouts the way it is, while others, who’ve been a victim of a random Raider with a Lvl 1 Stitcher, rallied Embark to nerf it.
Watkins considered that the weapons brought by the Free Loadouts “require some adjustments,” and his primary example was the Stitcher. The Stitcher is among the strongest common weapons in the game, according to the community, and it has been very effective in tight, confined spaces due to its high fire rate and damage potential. However, Watkins and the team will have to see if it becomes too overperforming in future updates, adding that, “...if you have that free kit and you are playing well or playing intelligently, you should still be able to win that fight.”
As of now, Embark is still not firm on their decision to rework the Free Loadout at the moment. In the interview, Embark is actively looking at the data on each player’s loadout. He confirmed that while the Free Loadout is good, “they aren't actually overperforming when compared to those who bring their own kit in.”
Until then, before Embark makes any changes, the Free Loadout system still has unlimited uses and is completely free for all. Nerfing it might not be a good sign to its increasingly large community of over 11 million players, who often rely on it after a failed run or just casually playing as a “loot goblin” archetype without having to engage in PvP and PvE.
For the past few months, ARC Raiders’ design lead Virgil Watkins has been very transparent about the game’s upcoming changes to its future. One of their plans was to add harder PvE content, as well as consider bringing a Speranza social hub, which players have been requesting for a long time.
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