The Headwinds update for ARC Raiders launched on January 27, 2026, bringing the Bird City map modifier to Buried City. Following the end of the Cold Snap event, birds returned to the frozen cityscape, nesting in chimneys across rooftops. Along with increased bird populations and ziplines connecting buildings, the update introduced seven collectible rubber duck variants worth significant in-game currency.
Within days of the update’s release, players discovered a duplication glitch that allowed infinite replication of items. The high-value Familiar Duck became the primary target, with each unit selling for 7,000 coins and stacking 15 per inventory slot. Reddit posts began appearing showing raiders spontaneously combusting mid-raid, leaving behind mountains of rubber ducks. The community speculated that Embark Studios was actively hunting down exploiters. Reports confirmed 30-day suspensions for players caught using the glitch.
The Rubber Duck Duplication Incident
How a valuable collectible and an exploit turned Bird City into a gold rush
Duck Value Calculator
See how much a full stack of Familiar Ducks is worth. Each inventory slot can hold 15 ducks.
All 7 Rubber Duck Variants
New duck types introduced with the Bird City map modifier, each with different rarities and coin values
Timeline of Events
Community-Reported Combustion Phenomenon
Multiple Reddit users reported encountering raiders who spontaneously caught fire during gameplay, collapsing without engagement and leaving behind massive quantities of rubber ducks. The community widely speculated that this was Embark Studios’ creative anti-cheat measure, though the studio has not officially confirmed the exact detection method.
The Bird City rubber duck incident was covered across multiple gaming communities and social media platforms throughout late January and early February 2026. The combination of valuable collectibles, an exploitable glitch, and community-reported spontaneous combustion events created widespread discussion about anti-cheat methods in extraction shooters.
ARC Raiders continues to receive updates, with players exploring new content like other major gaming developments in the industry. The duplication glitch incident was discussed in the context of ongoing balance and exploit prevention efforts. For more gaming news, check out coverage of Fallout remasters and other upcoming releases.