The beginning of 2026 was a shock for ARC Raiders players on PC: the NVIDIA Freestyle feature (real-time filters) stopped working. Studio Embark is silent so far, but the community suggests that this was done to equalize the chances of players on all platforms.
The filters allowed to lighten shadows and enhance contrast, which in the dark world of the game acted almost like night vision. This gave PC players a significant advantage over PS5 and Xbox users, who only have access to the standard picture.
Reactions were divided. Some welcome the return of fair play and call the filters a "legal exploit." Others, especially OLED screen owners, complain that the game is too dark without filters, and the lack of gamma adjustment only exacerbates the problem.
It is not yet known whether the blocking will be permanent. Embark has not published an official statement, and the next major update is expected on January 6. Until then, all players are forced to play by the same grim rules.
