Arc Raiders players have reported a widespread item duplication glitch affecting rubber ducks, particularly the high-value Familiar Duck variant introduced in the Headwinds update. Raiders are discovering dead players surrounded by massive piles of these collectibles, some extracting with millions of raider coins from a single encounter.
Quick answer: The duplication glitch allows players to create unlimited copies of throwable items, including rubber ducks. Embark Studios previously patched one duplication exploit on January 20, 2026, but a new variant emerged within days.
How the Duplication Glitch Works
The exploit appears to involve inventory manipulation or server desynchronization during item handling. Players can duplicate throwable items by exploiting timing windows when dropping or transferring objects. The glitch is not limited to ducks—blueprints and other stackable items can also be duplicated using similar methods.
The Familiar Duck is the most valuable rubber duck variant, selling for 5,000 raider coins and stacking up to 15 units. A full inventory of 14 slots containing these ducks yields over 1 million coins in a single extraction. Other duck variants introduced during the Bird City event include decorative versions resembling Scrappy the loot rooster.
Where Players Find Duplicated Ducks
Most reports center on Buried City Metro, where raiders encounter deceased players with inventories containing nothing but stacked rubber ducks. These corpses appear in metro tunnel extraction zones and random buildings, often with no signs of PvP combat. Some players have found raiders standing silently in attics or houses, surrounded by hundreds of ducks on the ground.
One player extracted with 2.8 million coins after discovering a raider who "caught on fire in Buried City Metro, went down without saying a word, and left behind a mountain of Familiar Ducks." Another reported finding two dead raiders with full stacks of 15 ducks each, totaling significant coin value.
Impact on Game Economy
Arc Raiders does not feature a player-to-player trading system or shared economy, which limits the exploit's impact on other players. Duplicated currency only affects individual progression toward the 5 million coin Expedition requirement. Players can still earn coins through normal gameplay by looting old-world items, farming ARC robots, or selling crafting materials.
Some exploiters are selling duplicated ducks for real money through Discord servers and third-party websites. This real-money trading (RMT) creates an unfair advantage for players willing to purchase currency, though it does not directly prevent others from earning coins legitimately.
The glitch can cause server performance issues when players drop hundreds of items in a single location. Excessive object counts slow server tick rates and may contribute to crashes or lag for all players in the same instance.
Developer Response and Ban Policy
Embark Studios implemented a three-strike ban system for cheaters and exploiters. First-time offenders receive a warning, second violations result in a 30-day suspension, and third infractions lead to permanent bans. The studio has previously dealt with exploiters by implementing lethal environmental damage—players caught using door glitches were "cooked alive" by overheating rooms.
The January 20, 2026, patch (version 1.12.0) addressed an earlier duplication glitch, but players discovered a new method within a week. Embark has not issued a public statement about the current exploit or provided a timeline for fixes. The studio previously cracked down on cheaters by targeting Steam Family Sharing, applying bans to entire family groups when one member violates the terms of service.
Normal Methods to Earn 5 Million Coins
Players can reach the 5 million coin Expedition requirement through legitimate farming without relying on exploits. Effective strategies include running free loadouts on Stella Montis, looting high-value old-world items, and farming Matriarch or Queen ARC robots for cores. A single Matriarch kill can yield 50,000+ XP and valuable loot.
During the Lush Bloom event, players can earn 100,000+ coins per run by collecting baskets across the map. Interactive maps help identify basket locations for efficient routes. Stella Montis medical and assembly areas contain high-density loot spawns, allowing 50,000–80,000 coin runs in 15 minutes with optimized routes.
Selling crafted items like energy clips and stacks of durable cloth (10 units = 6,400 coins) provides a steady income. Players with full-time jobs report reaching 5 million coins within one to two weeks using these methods.
Why Duplicating Ducks Matters
While the exploit does not create a competitive imbalance in PvP, it undermines the Expedition progression system. Players who duplicate items skip the intended grind and may lose interest in the game faster after achieving all goals without effort. The exploit also sets a precedent for future content—if duplication methods remain unpatched, any new high-value items become vulnerable to the same abuse.
The real-money trading aspect creates a secondary problem. Players purchasing duplicated items support a black market that violates terms of service and funds accounts that may engage in other forms of cheating. Embark's ban policy targets both sellers and buyers in RMT transactions.
Some players argue that unlimited coins have minimal impact because vendor inventory is limited and seeds remain more valuable than currency for progression. However, the ability to instantly purchase ammunition, shield rechargers, and medical supplies provides a tangible advantage in extended raids or PvP encounters.
The duck duplication glitch highlights ongoing challenges with exploit prevention in Arc Raiders. While the lack of a shared economy limits damage to individual progression, the exploit's persistence across patches and its use in real-money trading create legitimate concerns about game integrity. Players should avoid using duplication methods, as Embark's escalating ban system can result in permanent account loss.
