What Easy Anti-Cheat Is in ARC Raiders

Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) is the anti-cheat layer that helps ARC Raiders protect matches from unfair play. Think of it as a security system that checks whether the game is running in a trusted environment and whether known “not-okay” tools are interacting with the game.

For regular players, the important part is this: EAC is part of launching the game. If EAC can’t start correctly, the game usually won’t let you play. When it does start correctly, you typically won’t notice it at all—until something on your PC conflicts with it.

Does ARC Raiders Use Only EAC

No—ARC Raiders uses EAC, but Embark also says they use a broader anti-cheat approach beyond EAC (including in-house methods and other detection partners). That’s why “turning off one thing” is not a real solution and why some players can still be caught even if they think they found a loophole. If you want the safest, simplest experience: keep your setup clean and follow official guidance.

Why Anti-Cheat Feels Extra Strict in Extraction Games

Extraction shooters punish cheating more than most genres because cheaters don’t just ruin a match—they steal time, loot, keys, quest items, and progression. When you die in ARC Raiders, you’re often losing gear and momentum, not just a scoreboard. That’s why you’ll see stricter enforcement language, stricter environment checks, and stricter “system integrity” requirements than what you might be used to in casual shooters.

What EAC Does and Doesn’t Do

EAC is not magic, and it doesn’t “read your whole PC like a spy movie.” But it does need enough access to confirm the game is running fairly and hasn’t been tampered with.

What players should understand at a practical level:

• EAC does check the game environment for integrity. If key security features are disabled or suspicious tools are active, you can get blocked from launching.
• EAC does not guarantee “no cheaters ever.” No anti-cheat can promise that. Anti-cheat is a constant arms race.
• EAC errors are often caused by conflicts, not because you personally did something wrong. Another game’s anti-cheat still running in the background is a classic example.
• Repeatedly trying to launch while flagged software is active is a bad idea. ARC Raiders explicitly warns that continuing to attempt launch in that state can lead to disciplinary action.

What’s Allowed vs Not Allowed: The Safe Rule for Normal Players

Most players aren’t trying to break rules—they’re just running Discord overlays, GPU tools, mouse software, or accessibility apps. The problem is that anti-cheat can’t always “understand intent,” and some tools are frequently used for unfair advantages, so they get treated cautiously.

Here’s the safest interpretation of Embark’s policy:

• Overlays and game assistants are only okay if they do not interfere with gameplay or offer an unfair advantage. If you’re unsure, the official advice is to ask Support rather than gamble.
• Virtual machines (VMs) are not allowed. Embark explicitly says VMs are disallowed and may actively trigger anti-cheat actions.
• Macros, scripts, auto-clickers, and similar tools are risky. Even if you’re using them “innocently,” many are disallowed or treated as disallowed when active.
• Tools that modify game behavior, memory, or files are a hard no. This includes cheat engines, injectors, and “trainer” style programs.

If you remember only one rule: If it can automate inputs, change memory, inject overlays into the game, or alter files—don’t run it while playing.

The Two Most Common EAC Problems in ARC Raiders

Most player complaints fall into two buckets:

• EAC won’t install / EAC won’t start
• System Integrity Violation / Forbidden tool detected

The first bucket is usually a setup conflict or incomplete install. The second bucket is usually Windows security settings, a background tool, or something EAC considers unsafe.

Official First-Aid Checklist: Fixing EAC Launch Issues Fast

When ARC Raiders won’t launch because of EAC, the official guidance emphasizes quick, simple steps first—because they solve a huge percentage of cases.

Do these in order:

• Close other games and background tools (especially other anti-cheat protected games that may still be running).
• Restart your PC (this clears “lingering anti-cheat processes” more often than people expect).
• Check for unauthorized programs (scripts, macros, automation tools, injectors, and anything that violates terms).
• Run the ARC Raiders EAC uninstaller/installer manually as Administrator from the game’s install directory (Embark provides batch files for this inside the ARC Raiders folder).

That last point matters: Embark specifically directs players to the ARC Raiders install directory and to run the included uninstall/install scripts as admin when EAC is broken.

Understanding “System Integrity Violation” in ARC Raiders

“System Integrity Violation” is not a single error—it’s a category. Embark explains it as your PC not meeting one or more security requirements or a disallowed process being detected.

Embark highlights two big causes:

• Compromised Windows security settings (security features disabled or misconfigured)
• Violating tools or interfering applications (software that modifies gameplay/hardware or interferes with game files/memory/behavior)

The key detail: for security reasons, they don’t provide individual “exact causes” for a specific account. That can feel frustrating, but it’s normal anti-cheat practice.

Windows Security Settings That Commonly Matter

If ARC Raiders is throwing integrity errors, Embark specifically points players toward Windows security features that should be enabled (when available on your system), including:

• Core Isolation
• Memory Integrity
• Secure Boot
• Fully updated OS

If you’re the type of player who disables security features for performance tweaks: ARC Raiders is telling you plainly that this can break your ability to play.

Background Apps That Commonly Trigger Integrity Errors

Embark’s own examples of risky categories include:

• macro tools
• overclocking software
• injectors
• custom overlays

This does not mean every overlay or GPU utility will always break the game—but it does mean that if you’re troubleshooting, the fastest test is a clean launch with everything unnecessary closed.

A smart approach is to treat your setup like a tournament PC: only the essentials while raiding.

ARC Raiders Error Codes: What ARAV Codes Usually Mean

ARC Raiders uses error codes (often starting with ARAV) to indicate why you’re blocked.

Examples Embark calls out:

• Codes that indicate the game is launched through a virtual machine
• Codes that indicate NVIDIA Profile Inspector is active
• Codes for auto-clickers, scripting, and AutoHotkey detections
• Codes that indicate Cheat Engine is active (with a warning that repeated launch attempts in that state can lead to permanent suspension)
• Codes that indicate a restricted machine (hardware-ban related)
• Codes indicating system integrity could not be confirmed or installation integrity could not be verified

You don’t need to memorize every code. You need to recognize the categories:

• “VM / forbidden tools / scripting / automation” = close/disable those tools
• “Windows security settings disabled” = enable required Windows security features
• “Integrity verification failed” = verify files, reinstall, restart, clean boot

“Fatal Error: Cheat Software Detected” Doesn’t Always Mean You’re Banned

This message scares people because it sounds like “you’re done.” Embark is very clear: this error does not automatically mean your account is banned. It means the anti-cheat found an active process on the disallowed list.

Important details from Embark:

• The error window should show the file path of what needs to be disabled.
• The program is flagged for being active/running, not simply for being installed on your PC.
• Continuing to try to load the game while it’s active can lead to disciplinary action.
• You can usually disable it temporarily via Task Manager.

If you’re a normal player and you see this:

1. read the file path,
2. close the program completely,
3. restart the game,
4. avoid relaunch spamming while the tool is still active.

Common EAC Errors Players See: What They Usually Point To

While ARC Raiders has its own integrity codes, EAC itself also produces common messages across many games. The most common ones include:

• “Easy Anti-Cheat is not installed” (service missing or install failed)
• “Unknown file version” (often a mismatch after updates or corrupted files)
• Error 20010 (EAC folder encrypted / access issue)
• Error 30005 (service creation failure; often permissions, conflicts, or corrupted service state)
• “Maximum simultaneous game instances reached” (another EAC-protected game process still active)

The safest fix philosophy is: use official repair steps first (verify files, reinstall EAC using the game’s installer, restart PC), then escalate to Support with the exact error text.

Don’t Trust Random “Delete This System File” Fixes

You’ll find posts telling you to delete EAC driver files, disable services, or do risky system edits. Some of those tricks might “work” for a specific person—but they can also break other games, create instability, or put you in a weird state that triggers more anti-cheat suspicion.

Your best practice for ARC Raiders is:

• follow Embark’s troubleshooting steps,
• follow Easy Anti-Cheat’s official support steps,
• and avoid risky “nuke it from orbit” methods unless Support tells you to.

Clean Boot: The Fastest Way to Find a Conflict

If you can’t figure out what’s conflicting, Embark explicitly suggests using a clean boot to rule out background interference.

Why clean boot helps:

• It narrows the problem down to “something running at startup.”
• It prevents stealth conflicts from toolbars, mouse macro managers, RGB software, or leftover anti-cheat processes.

Once you confirm the game launches clean, you can re-enable startup items one at a time until you find the conflict.

Antivirus and Firewall: When “Protection” Breaks Your Game

Embark notes that antivirus software can mistakenly flag game files and recommends adding ARC Raiders and Easy Anti-Cheat to your antivirus exceptions list if needed.

This is extremely common after updates:

• the game patches,
• antivirus sees unfamiliar changed files,
• and quarantines something,
• which then creates “integrity” errors.

If you’re getting “couldn’t verify integrity” style errors and you run strict antivirus settings, this is a high-probability cause.

EAC and Performance: Does It Tank FPS

Most players worry anti-cheat will destroy performance. In practice, EAC is designed to run efficiently, and on Windows it starts when the game starts and stops when the game stops. If your FPS is bad, the more likely causes are:

• GPU drivers/settings,
• CPU/RAM limitations,
• background apps eating resources,
• or unstable overlays.

If you only get stutters when EAC launches, it’s more often a conflict or a system security feature struggling, not “EAC is slow by design.”

EAC Service Basics: What Players Should Know

On Windows, EAC includes a service component. Official documentation explains the service starts when an EAC-protected game starts and stops when the game closes, and that games normally install/uninstall this service automatically.

What this means for you:

• If the service install is broken, games that use EAC can fail to launch.
• Repairing EAC using official tools can restore normal behavior without reinstalling your entire PC.
• Because EAC is shared across multiple games, changes can affect more than one title.

Steam, Consoles, and “Why PC Has More Errors”

On consoles, the platform environment is locked down, so anti-cheat has fewer “weird PC things” to fight. On PC, every user’s environment is different:

• background apps,
• overlays,
• controller/mouse software,
• mod managers,
• security settings,
• drivers,
• virtualization features.

That’s why most EAC issues are on PC. It’s not “you did something wrong”—it’s that PC is a wild ecosystem.

Steam Deck and Linux: What to Expect

Officially, ARC Raiders PC requirements list Windows 10 or later as the supported OS. That’s the platform Embark is guaranteeing. At the same time, EAC (via Epic Online Services) has support for Linux/Steam Deck compatibility through Proton/Wine when developers enable it, and ARC Raiders has been widely reported by the Linux gaming community as playable on Steam Deck and Linux setups.

The practical advice:

• If you’re on Windows: follow Embark’s official guidance and you’ll have the most stable support path.
• If you’re on Steam Deck/Linux: expect that your experience may depend on Proton versions, and treat community fixes as “best effort,” not official guarantees.

If you’re creating content for players, the safest wording is:

• Windows is the official PC target
• Steam Deck/Linux may work (and often does), but troubleshooting can be more experimental.

How to Report Cheaters Properly (And Why It Matters)

Embark says player reports are important and the best way to report is through the in-game menu, because it gives their team the context they need to investigate faster.

Embark’s in-game reporting flow is:

• Open Social from the lobby screen
• Go to Recent
• Select the player
• Choose Report
• Pick a reason and add a short description

They also clarify:

• There are no rewards for reporting cheaters
• You cannot be banned just because of mass reporting (reports are reviewed and verified first)

If you want your report to actually help, include one short useful detail:

• “aim snapping through walls,”
• “tracking through smoke,”
• “loot stolen instantly,”
• “speed movement,”
• “impossible accuracy at range,”
• and when it happened (early raid, extract, specific area).

Bans in ARC Raiders: What Players Should Know

Embark’s enforcement policy includes a few points that players often miss:

• Your account can be banned for violating the Code of Conduct or Terms of Service.
• In serious cases, bans may apply across all Embark titles, not only ARC Raiders.
• Embark uses both temporary and permanent bans depending on severity.
• You can appeal a ban through Support, but Embark says they cannot provide specific details about what caused a ban (to protect anti-cheat integrity).
• You are responsible for your account: “someone else used my account” is not a valid unban reason.

This matters for regular players because “I’ll just let my friend test my account” is a risky habit. Keep your account secure, use strong passwords, and don’t share logins.

Hardware Bans: The One You Don’t Want

Embark describes hardware bans as a critical enforcement tool, applied across all Embark games, tied to your machine—not your account.

Key points:

• A hardware ban means that specific PC can’t access their products.
• Hardware bans are final and non-appealable.
• Embark lists specific hardware-ban related ARAV error codes that can appear if you’re hardware banned.

If you ever see one of those codes and you believe it’s an error, your only real path is still Support—because hardware bans can’t be appealed, but you can at least confirm what happened.

If You Think You Were Banned By Mistake

Embark provides a ban appeal process and lists what to include:

• your Embark ID (Username#1234 format)
• any error message you received
• any context you believe is relevant

If you’re a legit player, the best “context” is boring and factual:

• “I was running Discord + Steam overlay + NVIDIA drivers only”
• “I had AutoHotkey installed but not running”
• “I had a VM tool installed for school but it was not active”
• “Here is the exact ARAV code”
• No drama—just details that help them verify.

“Abnormal Match Compensation”: What It Means for Victims

ARC Raiders has faced real cheating discussions since launch, and Embark has been reported (by major gaming outlets) to restore items to players in matches detected as unfair through an “Abnormal Match Compensation” style system—often via in-game mail/notifications.

Whether this triggers for you isn’t something you can control. What you can control is:

• report suspicious players properly,
• avoid rage-queuing into repeated suspicious lobbies,
• and keep your best progression items protected (Safe Pocket discipline, early extracts when you find a blueprint).

The “Safe Setup” for PC Raiders

If you want the least EAC drama possible, set up a clean ARC Raiders environment. This also helps you avoid accidental “integrity” flags.

Best practices:

• Keep Windows updated
• Keep GPU drivers updated
• Don’t run macro tools while playing (even if they’re “for another game”)
• Avoid running AutoHotkey scripts while ARC Raiders is open
• Don’t play through a virtual machine
• Minimize overlays (keep only the essentials)
• Close other EAC-protected games before launching
• Restart your PC after playing another anti-cheat heavy title
• Verify game files if you updated and now the game won’t start

This isn’t paranoia—this is simply how modern anti-cheat ecosystems behave.

Quick Troubleshooting Map: “What Should I Try First”

If you want a clean decision tree:

• If your error mentions EAC not installed / EAC install failed:
• Verify files → restart PC → run ARC Raiders EAC installer/uninstaller as admin → try again
• If your error mentions System Integrity Violation / ARAV codes:
• Check Windows Security (Core Isolation/Memory Integrity/Secure Boot) → close background tools → clean boot test → antivirus exceptions
• If your error mentions Cheat software detected:
• Read the file path → close the program completely → do not spam relaunch → reboot if needed
• If your error mentions VM:
• Don’t use a VM. Disable VM features for gaming sessions and run on a standard Windows setup.
• If you keep seeing new errors after “fixes”:
• Undo the risky fixes and return to official steps. Stability beats hacks.

When You Should Contact Support

Contact Support when:

• you’ve done the official steps and still can’t launch,
• your error codes repeat across multiple restarts,
• you suspect a false positive,
• you have a ban notification and want to appeal,
• or you’re unsure whether a program you use is allowed.

When you contact Support, include:

• your Embark ID
• the exact error message
• the exact ARAV/EAC code (if shown)
• whether the issue started after an update
• a short list of background apps you had open

BoostRoom Note: Fixing Your Setup and Protecting Your Progress

Most players only think about anti-cheat when something breaks—but “EAC readiness” is also a progression skill. If your game won’t launch, you lose time. If you get flagged by a risky tool, you risk access. And if you die to cheaters, you lose loot and momentum.

BoostRoom helps ARC Raiders players protect their progression by:

• building safe, stable PC and overlay habits for cleaner sessions,
• planning “progress-first” raid loops so you don’t risk irreplaceable quest/blueprint items,
• and using smart extract timing to reduce exposure to high-risk lobbies.

Less downtime, fewer throws, more successful extracts—so your time goes into progress, not troubleshooting.

FAQ

Is Easy Anti-Cheat required for ARC Raiders on PC?

Yes—ARC Raiders uses EAC as part of its anti-cheat stack, and EAC must launch properly for you to play.

Can I use overlays like Discord, Steam overlay, or performance monitors?

Embark’s rule is: overlays are only allowed if they don’t interfere with gameplay or provide an unfair advantage. If you’re unsure about a specific program, the safest move is to ask Support.

Can I play ARC Raiders in a virtual machine (VM)?

No—Embark explicitly disallows virtual machines, and VM detection can trigger anti-cheat actions and integrity errors.

What does “System Integrity Violation” mean?

It means your system isn’t meeting one or more security requirements or a disallowed/interfering process has been detected. Embark points players to Windows security settings (like

Memory Integrity and Secure Boot) and to disabling interfering background tools.

What does “Fatal Error: Cheat Software Detected” mean? Am I banned?

Not necessarily. Embark says this error indicates a disallowed program/process is active and you must disable it. It does not automatically mean your account is banned, but repeatedly trying to load the game while it’s active can lead to disciplinary action.

Why do I get EAC errors after playing another game?

Anti-cheat services can linger in the background. Embark’s troubleshooting specifically recommends closing other programs and restarting your PC if you were just playing another game.

Can I be banned just because people mass reported me?

Embark says no—reports are reviewed and verified before action is taken.

Are hardware bans real in ARC Raiders?

Yes. Embark describes hardware bans as machine-tied, applied across all Embark games, and non-appealable.

Is ARC Raiders supported on Steam Deck / Linux?

Embark’s official PC requirements list Windows as the supported OS. EAC can support Linux/Steam Deck via Proton when enabled, and many players report ARC Raiders running there, but it’s best treated as “may work” rather than guaranteed official support.