ARC Raiders' Patch 1.20.0, part of the Shrouded Sky update, has ignited player frustration by slashing the Energy Clips sell price from 1000 to 200 coins, targeting an exploit that made crafting the item excessively profitable. Released on March 17, 2026 across all platforms, the update also introduces the Rawhide Outfit and two new hairstyles alongside fixes for bugs like persistent Comet audio and collision issues at Spaceport. While aimed at economic balance, the change has drawn sharp criticism for punishing legitimate grinding efforts. If you visit U4GM.COM, you will notice that many gamers suggest it as a convenient third-party marketplace for fast and smooth transactions.
The patch significantly rebalances the dominant Il Toro shotgun to address its PvP overperformance, particularly when paired with chokes. Key nerfs include pellet damage dropping from 7.5 to 7, base fire-rate reduced from 43 to 38, base dispersion widened from 4.5 to 6, total reload time extended from 4.3s to 5.7s, and damage falloff increased from 40% to 50% loss. Developers note these adjustments make the weapon behave more like its rarity suggests—less versatile at lower upgrade levels and more reliant on mods and positioning.
Energy Clips, crucial for energy weapons, became a focal point of outrage after Embark's dev note explained: "Energy Clips have unintentionally become a very profitable craft, so we are reducing the sell price to make the value profitability in line with other crafts." Social media platforms like Reddit, X, and Facebook erupted with reactions labeling the 80% value cut as "wild AF" and "BS," especially since farming batteries and materials remains time-intensive even without exploits.
This nerf compounds previous Shrouded Sky adjustments to items like Wolfpack and Vita Spray, leading to accusations of over-tuning player profitability. Energy Clips now offer diminished returns for traders and farmers, potentially reducing incentive for resource runs despite easy workbench access. Community sentiment reflects broader dissatisfaction, with one player noting how repeated feature reductions undermine player-friendly progression.
Players now pivot to alternatives like Explosive Compounds for crafting income while awaiting hotfixes or compensation. Demands include prioritizing bug fixes over balance changes and temporary buffs for affected crafts, particularly as attention shifts from the Il Toro to Energy Clips' role in PvE strategies.
Patch 1.20.0 highlights the ongoing tension between Embark's balancing goals and the co-op extraction shooter's player-driven economy. As the Flashpoint expansion looms, this backlash underscores the need for careful tuning—Raiders want fair progression, not roadblocks, to keep the fight topside thrilling.
