‘Nobody asked for this’: ARC Raiders’ first 2026 update adds birds, but not much else, and some players aren’t thrilled

ARC Raiders has revealed what to expect from its Headwinds update, hitting the game tomorrow, and the pickings are kind of slim compared to what players may have been expecting.

Headwinds is the first of four monthly updates and content drops announced for ARC Raiders, culminating in a new map coming in April. But for January, the content drop is not adding very much to the core gameplay, and players are none too pleased.

The main addition is a Solo vs. Squads matchmaking option. Available only for players level 40 and above, this option will allow lone wolves to queue into matches where they will fight against three-person squads “for higher risk and higher XP.” And this has many players wondering “why”?

“Sirs, nobody, and I mean nobody asked for this,” one Twitter/X user said, while another called it “disappointing.” Another complained that the one-vs-three matchmaking “is actually for streamers to get more content and not for the rest of the community to actually play.”

Beyond that, a Trophy Display Project is included in the update, too, where players will be able to build a trophy case made of harvested ARC parts, “progress through the levels, and unlock valuable items in the process.” The final addition, other than a new cosmetic set in the store, is a new map condition called “Bird City.” More birds will appear in the sky to mark areas with “valuable loot.” But that’s about it.

While ARC Raiders is still holding strong with players logging in daily, competition is on the way with games like Marathon and even today’s launch of Highguard looking to grab attention in the multiplayer shooter space, so I can’t help but wonder if this update will be enough to do that.

While this first update is admittedly light, the 2026 roadmap for ARC Raiders does have some more interesting things on the horizon, including new ARC enemies, map updates, and April’s “Even Tides” update bringing a new map.

The post ‘Nobody asked for this’: ARC Raiders’ first 2026 update adds birds, but not much else, and some players aren’t thrilled appeared first on Destructoid.

Blueprints form the backbone of your AIC factories in Arknights Endfield, and you’ll be able to create plenty on your adventures. However, you can also take advantage of community creations by importing and using their designs.

In simple words, Blueprints refer to production chain designs that can be used at your AIC base. It includes every detail of a production chain and prevents you from having to recreate everything from scratch.

Best factory Blueprint codes in Arknights Endfield

Thanks to the social media community, we already have a fair number of codes popping up on social media. Personally, I have loved using them, and will add more codes in the days to come. You can not only use these designs, but you can also tweak them to add your personal touch as required.

Most of these codes are working EU/NA. However, the codes with user names in brackets are meant for the SEA servers.

Production Chain	Creator	Code	Plan
Batteries, Seeds, Plants, Ore Crushing	(Rio)#5106	EFO01ouiI7eOEu6AIieO
Ferrium Components	@hanayagi_ayumu	EFO01eAo0O2A684Aoui8
Electricity Generator	BellWether#7631	EFO014E62EU5OA3aE71A
Buckwheat Flower Powder, Industrial Explosives, Acetone Powder, Charcoal Lump, Amethyst Component, and Amethyst Equipment	(Ao)#8603	EFO019aEu8UUiae45uI2
Integrated Industrial Blueprint (early game)	@Migerubahha	EFO013o72eiA67aU0579
Back Capsules and LC Valley Batteries	@onetiredkayla	EFO01O3E220E91IA9oe4
Xiranite Components	@cannaaaa7	EFO01U4Ai53304O97Oa8
Purple Battery	@braxophone	EFO01iOe7E613u2A72U4
Medium Batteries and Medicinal Capsules III	@Ninjago9101	EFO019aEu1UAiae15ul2

How to create Blueprints in Arknights Endfield

Before you get to import and use Blueprints made by others, it’s necessary to create one of your own.

• Enter the AIC Mode and open the Top View.
• Select Bulk Action, and then choose the portion of the design that you want to save as a Blueprint. This can be your entire design, or only a part.
• Once you have confirmed the selection, press Ctrl+S to save your Blueprint.

You can add your own names and descriptions to your Blueprints. You can also add icons and tags to categorize and identify them more easily in the future.

How to import Blueprints in Arknights Endfield

Creating your own Blueprint might be fun, but you can also use designs created by other Arknights Endfield players. This will allow you to harness the advantages of an efficient base design that might not have popped up in your brain.

• To import Blueprints, you’re going to need codes. Every Blueprint has a unique alphanumeric string like the ones posted in the next section. First, copy the code from outside the game.
• Go to your Core AIC (or Outposts).
• Enter Top View by pressing Q/R3 (if you’re using a controller).
• Press F1 to open the Blueprint menu.
• Switch to the Shared Blueprints tab, which will allow you to paste the copied code.

You can also visit another player’s base in Arknights Endfield, and directly copy a Blueprint (it automatically copies the applicable alphanumeric string).

The post Best Arknights Endfield Factory Blueprint codes: How to import appeared first on Destructoid.