As we gear up for a major balance patch on Tuesday, January 13, Virgil Watkins, the design lead at Embark Studios, offered insight into what players can expect. In a chat with GamesRadar+, he delved into adjustments for two outliers in the balance department: the Kettle rifle and the Trigger Nades. Both items have been tilting the scales of gameplay too far in their favor, prompting these necessary changes.
“I can probably say this now,” Watkins shared, outlining the upcoming tweaks. “In the update on Tuesday, we’re tackling the Kettle issue, we’re addressing Trigger Nades, and we’re continuously looking at the broader balance to adjust things as needed.”
The Kettle rifle, a semi-automatic weapon notorious for melting opponents under the right hands—be it skilled fingers or some crafty macro usage—is about to face the music. Players have been able to dish out devastating damage with it, and Watkins confirmed that the gun’s fire rate cap is being reduced. “It technically has a cap now, but it’s so high that even pushing it just a bit can lead to instant kills that feel broken,” he noted. “We’ve seen videos of players achieving this manually; the speed is just that insane.”
The changes don’t stop there. Trigger Nades, often viewed as the most lethal grenades in-game, are also getting a significant makeover. Watkins reassures that while Embark aims to maintain the signature timed explosions that players love, they are dialling back their overused damage potential. “Right now, we’re altering the damage falloff curve,” he explained. “You need to be way more precise to inflict maximum damage. The idea is to ensure that if you land a hit on a target, that’s when you’ll see the most impact. We’re also adding a trigger time adjustment, so you won’t be able to toss them and detonate them instantly. You’ll need to lead your shots a bit.”
So, what does this mean for players? A Kettle that retains its performance but isn’t exploitable, along with Trigger Nades that require accuracy for optimal effect? While I haven’t had my hands on these adjustments yet, they certainly seem like a thoughtful response to some of the early gameplay issues.
“Additionally, we’re looking at the balance of rarity,” Watkins added. “How does the cost of using these items compare to their effectiveness? We’ll be shuffling that around a bit, though it won’t land in this update.”
As the excitement builds ahead of this balance patch, many are eager to see how these changes will reshape the Arc Raiders experience. There’s no doubt that Embark is committed to addressing community feedback and refining gameplay for a more balanced environment.