NOVAARC Raiders, tuned and measured
The anti-cheat ARC Raiders runs, what Embark lists for PC, Embark's own steps when it crashes or won't launch, and how NOVA stays out of the game.
No FPS promise here: what ARC Raiders gains depends on how your PC is set up today. NOVA shows what's holding it back, then measures before and after.
01Before you play: anti-cheat
ARC Raiders runs kernel-level anti-cheat. Neither its Steam listing nor the Embark posts linked below name Secure Boot or TPM 2.0 as a requirement, so NOVA's Checkup has no ARC Raiders verdict. It does flag kernel drivers that other tools leave behind, such as WinRing0 and inpoutx64; some anti-cheats refuse to start while those are loaded.
| Anti-cheat | What Embark says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Denuvo Anti-Cheat | Kernel-level protection. Rolled out from May 19, 2026; Embark's July 7, 2026 update says it's now enforced for all players. Embark says it isn't using Denuvo's DRM. | Embark: Patch Notes 1.29.0 ↗ Live Update 1.36.0 ↗ An Update on Anti-Cheat ↗ |
| Easy Anti-Cheat | Still in Embark's crash and launch help (updated September 30, 2026), with its own error codes and fixes, below. | Embark: crash and launch issues ↗ |
| Anybrain | Cheat detection, alongside Denuvo's kernel-level protection. | Embark: An Update on Anti-Cheat ↗ |
Embark allows overlays and game assistants only if they don't interfere with gameplay or give an unfair advantage, and asks you to contact its support if you're unsure about a program. The game's Steam page also notes it uses kernel-level anti-cheat.
NOVA never runs inside a game, reads its memory or changes its program files. The optional controller and mouse overclock installs a signed USB driver; check the game's rules first. How NOVA stays out of games → Sources: Embark: common anti-cheat questions ↗ · Steam: ARC Raiders ↗
02What Embark lists
From the system requirements on the game's Steam page. Both tiers need a broadband connection.
| Tier | What Embark lists |
|---|---|
| Minimum | Windows 10 or later, 64-bit (latest update) · Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 · GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, Radeon RX 580 or Arc A380 · 12 GB RAM · DirectX 12 |
| Recommended | Windows 10 or later, 64-bit (latest update) · Core i5-9600K or Ryzen 5 3600 · GeForce RTX 2070, Radeon RX 5700 XT or Arc B570 · 16 GB RAM · DirectX 12 |
Source: Steam: ARC Raiders ↗
03If it crashes or won't launch: Embark's steps
Embark's own crash and launch help for PC (updated September 30, 2026), in its order:
- Check your PC meets the minimum requirements, and turn off Raider Voice (Beta) if it's on.
- Update your drivers: graphics, chipset and BIOS, network, and peripherals.
- Install the latest DirectX, update Windows, then restart.
- In Steam, open ARC Raiders' Properties › Installed Files and choose Verify integrity of game files.
- Easy Anti-Cheat error 30005: restart first. If it stays, add an antivirus exclusion for the
EasyAntiCheat_EOSfolder in Program Files (x86). - Easy Anti-Cheat service problems: run Easy Anti-Cheat's own repair, as Embark's page describes.
- "Maximum Simultaneous Game Instances": end any ARC Raiders process in Task Manager, or restart to clear the anti-cheat driver's state.
- System Integrity Violation (ARAV8007): delete the game's folder in Steam's
steamapps\commonand reinstall it. - Exit codes 0 and 0x1: turn off Run this program as an administrator on the Compatibility tab of PioneerGame, the game's program.
- Exit code 0x3: delete the damaged
Cerebro.dllin the game's Win64 folder, then verify the game files. - Still crashing: turn off overlays and other third-party software.
NOVA's in-game overlay is off until you switch it on (Games › Overlay), and it's one switch for every game, not one per game. If ARC Raiders crashes with it on, switch it off for Embark's last step.
Source: Embark: troubleshooting game crash and launch issues on PC ↗
04Measure it on your PC
- Benchmark › Proof mode runs the same test before and after a change and tells you whether the difference is real or within the noise, including when it made none.
- The in-game overlay shows FPS and frame time in a corner of ARC Raiders, drawn in its own window, without touching the game.
- History lists every change NOVA made, with undo for each, or Revert all.