The latest Shrouded Sky Patch Notes 1.17.0 have officially landed, bringing sweeping gameplay adjustments, new content, balance changes, and quality-of-life improvements. Titled "The Hurricane Strikes" (February 23, 2026), this update introduces a brand-new Hurricane Map Condition, two new ARC enemies, a seasonal player project, weapon balance passes, map refinements, and expanded customization options.

If you're looking for a complete breakdown of what's new in Shrouded Sky 1.17.0, here's everything you need to know.

Hurricane Map Condition - Dynamic Weather Returns

The headline feature of Patch 1.17.0 is the Hurricane Map Condition, a new environmental modifier that drastically changes gameplay flow. Heavy winds, reduced visibility, and unpredictable lighting effects make traversal and combat more intense.

Thunderstorm lighting has been improved across maps like Blue Gate to ensure clarity during chaotic moments, while outdoor VFX now behaves more consistently. This new condition reinforces Shrouded Sky's focus on dynamic environments that force players to adapt their strategies on the fly.

Two New ARC Enemies

Patch 1.17.0 introduces two new ARC enemy variants, expanding PvE encounters and tactical variety. While one has occasional interaction issues when destroyed (currently listed under known issues), both enemies add fresh combat scenarios and new loot opportunities.

Additional ARC-related changes include:

·Hornets now retain visible upper armor after destruction for clearer loot identification.

·Reduced erratic movement of ARC parts attached to loot.

·Rocketeer reliability improvements when targeting players.

·Sentinel shot collision fixes to prevent geometry clipping.

These adjustments aim to make ARC engagements more consistent and rewarding.

The Weather Monitoring System - Seasonal Player Project

The new Weather Monitoring System debuts as a seasonal player project, encouraging the community to engage collectively with environmental challenges. This feature connects directly with the Hurricane Map Condition and may evolve as players contribute progress.

Seasonal systems like this deepen long-term engagement and create shared goals beyond standard matches.

Free Raider Deck & Expedition Updates

Players will receive a Free Raider Deck, and several improvements have been made to Expeditions:

·New Expedition Catch-Up System allows players to earn missed Skill Points from previous runs.

·Updated Expedition UI for better progress tracking.

·Timer bugs and negative countdown issues fixed.

·Scroll wheel support added to switch Raider Deck pages.

These changes make progression smoother and more transparent, particularly for returning players.

Dam Battlegrounds Map Update

The Dam Battlegrounds map has been updated with environmental polish and collision fixes. Across all maps, players will notice:

·Ladder interaction fixes.

·Reduced clipping on environmental props.

·Lighting improvements, especially in Stella Montis and Blue Gate.

·Improved thunderstorm visuals for better clarity.

Notably, Stella Montis received significant out-of-bounds fixes to prevent unintended traversal exploits.

Facial Hair Customization & Cosmetics

Character personalization expands in Patch 1.17.0 with new facial hair customization options. This addition gives players more identity expression alongside cosmetic sets such as:

·The Volare Set

·The Surgeon Set

·The Devotee Set (coming soon)

Several outfit clipping issues and visor material bugs were also fixed, ensuring smoother visual presentation.

Weapon Balance Changes - Major Meta Shift

Patch 1.17.0 includes one of the most impactful weapon balance passes to date. Developers addressed unintended input buffering changes from earlier patches that allowed spam-clicking to bypass the intended weapon cadence.

The new system:

·Preserves responsiveness.

·Rewards players who properly pace their shots.

·Allows more precise gun-to-gun input control.

Here's how key weapons were adjusted:

Stitcher

·Headshot multiplier reduced (2.5 → 1.75)

·Base damage reduced (7 → 6.5)

·Increased shot dispersion

The Stitcher remains a close-quarters threat but no longer melts targets instantly with headshot stacking.

Kettle

·Base damage reduced (10 → 8.5)

The Kettle shifts toward more deliberate mid-range play while keeping its strong headshot multiplier.

Venator

·Headshot multiplier reduced (2.5 → 2)

·Base damage reduced (9 → 8)

Still powerful, but toned down to reduce PvP dominance.

Jupiter

·ADS magnification increased (~1.9x → ~2.2x)

·Faster equip and unequip times

Improves viability at range and makes weapon swapping smoother.

Aphelion

·Faster reload (4.5s → 3.5s)

·Reduced time between shots

·Reduced recoil

·Improved ADS settle speed

Overall, this patch narrows the performance gap between low-tier and high-tier weapons. Players optimizing their builds may now prioritize versatility over raw damage, influencing demand for specific ARC Raiders Items and crafting paths.

Those looking to stay competitive early in the season may choose to buy ARC Raiders BluePrints aligned with newly buffed weapons like Aphelion, which now offers improved PvP responsiveness.

Utility & Crafting Updates

Several deployable restrictions were added for balance:

·Ziplines can no longer be placed on carryable objects.

·Mines and traps cannot be placed on other deployables.

·Spotter Relay can now function as a lure trap.

·Pop Trigger can roll forward before exploding.

Crafting adjustments include:

·Energy Clip is now available by default in the Workbench.

·ARC Parts sell value reduced.

·Updated item values and crafting requirements for Deadline, Trailblazer, Wolfpack, Vita Spray, and Showstopper.

Healing from Vita Spray now applies continuously to prevent exploit abuse.

Gameplay & Quality-of-Life Improvements

A surprising addition: a playable piano now exists in the world as an interactable object.

Anti-Cheat Enhancements

The anti-cheat system received significant upgrades:

·Strong detections now result in permanent bans.

·Behavioral and machine learning systems expanded.

·Family Sharing enforcement improved.

·Manual ban appeal review process launching soon.

The development team reaffirmed its commitment to long-term fairness and precision enforcement.

Final Thoughts on Shrouded Sky Patch 1.17.0

Shrouded Sky 1.17.0 is more than just a balance patch - it's a structural update that refines weapon mechanics, enhances PvE and PvP stability, introduces environmental storytelling through the Hurricane Map Condition, and strengthens anti-cheat systems.

From new ARC enemies to facial hair customization and Expedition improvements, this patch sets the stage for a more dynamic and competitive season.