In the world of ARC Raiders, Embark Studios has always been adept at hiding surprises right under players' noses. From the early trailers released before the game's launch to the recent patch notes, a trail of "breadcrumb clues" that has been laid out over several months is gradually converging. And all of this is pointing towards the upcoming Riven Tides update on April 28th.
The Final Patch Has Arrived, Riven Tides Countdown Underway
In the latest patch notes, Embark casually mentioned that this is the last patch before Riven Tides. This implies that from now until April 28th, there will be no new updates or patches released. The development team is fully focused on the final polishing and optimization.
In other words, April 28th is basically the confirmed launch date for Riven Tides. Of course, there's always a chance that Embark might surprise everyone and release the update ahead of schedule. But regardless, players can start the countdown now.
The Bishop-Class ARC: The Truth Hidden for Four Years
Now, here comes the truly heavyweight content of the day. The "Bishop" class ARC, which has been a hot topic of discussion in the community, is highly likely to be the large new enemy making its appearance in the Riven Tides update.
Why the Bishop
Back in the launch trailer of ARC Raiders in June 2025, a brief glimpse of this large ARC could be seen on the Blue Gate map. In the first episode of The Evolution of ARC Raiders development footage, there was even an in-game clip showing players battling against it - it can fire lasers from its head to attack multiple raiders simultaneously.
More importantly, on the ArtStation page of concept artist Espion Nord, this ARC was labeled with the internal code name "Mustard" - due to its golden amber-colored chassis details that indeed resemble mustard. And Embark officially named it "Bishop".
Why Now
Embark has a long-standing tradition of hiding future update content in early trailers. The cold snap weather in Stella Montis and the Trailblazer grenade were all previewed in this way. Moreover, the complete animation, combat mechanics, and in-game footage of this large ARC have long been ready, just waiting for its official debut.
How Will It Fight
Based on the existing materials, we can speculate on the combat characteristics of the Bishop-class ARC:
♦ Multi-Target Attack: Unlike the Queen-class ARC, which can only attack one target at a time, the Bishop can attack multiple raiders simultaneously.
♦ Pulsed Laser: Instead of continuous irradiation, it fires short bursts of 1 - 2 seconds, similar to the Vaporizer updated last month.
♦ Weakness Mechanism: When it "opens up", the exposed internal structure could be a weakness, or it might be related to a heat dissipation/reloading mechanism.
♦ High Vantage Point: It flies at a great height, allowing it to attack over rocks and cover.
Why the Name "Bishop"
It seems that Embark is naming the large ARCs after chess pieces. We already have the "Queen" and the "Matriarch", and the "Bishop" is the next in line. This also raises an interesting question: if Embark continues with this naming convention, what will come after the Bishop? Will it be the "Rook" or the "Knight"?
The Riven Tides Map
Riven Tides is widely believed to be a new coastal-style map, featuring an open view, dunes, and wide, flat terrain. Such an environment is simply the perfect hunting ground for the Bishop-class ARC, which requires a line of sight to fire its lasers.
Moreover, considering the Italian-themed ARChitectural style of the map, the yellow mustard color of the Bishop fits in perfectly with the building colors.
Other Community News
If you participated in the previous weather monitoring system player project but didn't manage to complete it in time, you might want to check your in-game mailbox. Embark has confirmed that they are still in the process of distributing rewards, and even if you didn't finish the project, you should still receive something.
Generous Rewards Await
If you took part in the weather monitoring system project but didn't complete it, don't worry. Embark will send rewards to your in-game mailbox. Also, to celebrate the potential addition of the Bishop to the game, we're holding a giveaway. Just leave a chess piece emoji in the comment section, and you'll have a chance to win $10 worth of in-game currency or 1150 RT points. These ARC Raiders Coins and ARC Raiders Items are all highly practical resources in the game! Additionally, there's also a giveaway on our Discord channel, so you can participate multiple times to increase your chances of winning.
Riven Tides is approaching, and the mysterious veil of the Bishop is about to be fully lifted. Let's look forward to this update, embark on new adventures in the game, and win those generous rewards! Remember to like and subscribe to get more gaming news!
