With the Headwinds update on January 27, Arc Raiders has mainly focused on PvP matchmaking. However, most players currently only have eyes for the little rubber ducks in the game.
At the end of January, Swedish studio Embark not only unveiled the new roadmap for its hugely successful extraction shooter Arc Raiders, but also rolled out the first update of 2026.
The update, called Headwinds
, is designed to present more experienced players with a greater challenge and introduces a new matchmaking queue where you can compete solo against squads. This will grant you a small XP bonus. In addition, there is now a new map condition called Bird City
, where valuable loot is hidden high up on the rooftops and screeching birds can give you away, similar to Crytek’s shooter Hunt: Showdown.
However, it’s not the two main features of the update that are currently causing excitement in the community. But the story does have something to do with birds.
Gigantic update for squeaky ducks
Because right now, players seem to care much more about the rubber ducks in Arc Raiders than XP, weapons, skins, or matchmaking. You know, those little yellow ducks that you give to children as bath toys. Since players realized that they can hoard the yellow birds in their own hideouts, they have become a popular collector’s item in the community.
Players were equally enthusiastic when it was announced that the Headwinds update would also revamp the rubber ducks in Arc Raiders. On the one hand, the standard yellow ducks have been significantly spruced up (more saturation), and on the other hand, you can now find significantly more different rubber ducks on the shooter’s maps and take them with you to Speranza.
Huge update to Rubber duckies! pic.twitter.com/tIkLbmCBC2
— ARC Radar (@ARCRaidersNews) January 27, 2026
On social media, players are falling over themselves to praise the duck overhaul. One user writes on Twitter: Honestly, the best part of the update
and another adds: Yes, the developers have definitely worked hard here.”
Player Bobulance goes even further on Reddit and even calls for a separate storage room for rubber ducks. This is because storage space is limited in Arc Raiders and he would like to start a duck collection without it negatively affecting his storage space.
Other users are discussing a duck project for an upcoming update, which would involve collecting as many rubber ducks as possible to unlock a specific reward.
It remains to be seen whether Embark will take up this idea. The next update for Arc Raiders is the Shrouded Sky patch, which is scheduled for release in February and will also introduce a new map condition, new Arc, Raider decks, and projects to the game.
