ARC Raiders

Embark Studios has launched Frozen Trail, a major ARC Raiders update that expands the game with a frozen new region, a high-risk endgame activity, additional ARC enemies, weapons, traversal tools, and a redesigned reward system. Released on October 8, the update takes Raiders beyond the Rust Belt to Pendola Pass, where a fallen ARC Emperor has turned a remote settlement into a dangerous new source of loot and conflict. Players looking to jump into the update can also compare Cheap ARC Raiders Account offers on Z2U before heading into the new frontier.

Frozen Trail is not a small map addition. It also introduces the Outpost extension for Raider Den, Amplified Weapons, the new Reward Pass system, and a limited full-game free-play period. Here is a quick look at the update's major features.

Pendola Pass Opens a Frozen Frontier

The centrepiece of Frozen Trail is Pendola Pass, a new location beyond the mountain range surrounding the Rust Belt. In the update's story setup, Celeste and Shani follow a strange signal ringing across Toledo to a region that was once home to an old Italian village and an important Exodus transportation hub.

Pendola Pass combines frozen valleys and abandoned streets with places such as a supermarket, town square, observatory, and buried train depot. Those remnants, together with the area's Exodus Project history, give the map both a scavenging purpose and a stronger lore identity.

The biggest draw is a fallen Emperor, one of ARC's massive machines. Its wreckage is believed to hold rare technology, but the opportunity comes with serious risks. Flash freezes can affect the region, ARC forces are reacting to the Emperor's fall, and rival Raiders may be chasing the same high-value finds. Pendola Pass is therefore built around pressure from the environment, machines, loot, and PvP encounters rather than straightforward exploration.

The Frigate Creates a High-Risk Objective

Frozen Trail also adds the Frigate, one of ARC's largest vessels. The Frigate arrives in response to the fallen Emperor and serves as a major challenge for experienced Raiders.

Boarding it is only the first step. Players must work through tight internal passages, unlock routes, deal with ARC units, and remain alert to other Raiders seeking the same rewards. Compared with open map encounters, the vessel's enclosed layout leaves less room for long-range safety or easy retreats.

Key Frigate challenges include:

• Finding a route onto the vessel

• Exploring confined paths and unlocking access points

• Fighting ARC units in close quarters

• Managing encounters with rival Raiders

• Securing loot and surviving the extraction that follows

This setup fits ARC Raiders' extraction structure: discovering valuable equipment is only part of the job, because it must still be carried safely out of the raid.

Three New ARC Enemies Demand Better Awareness

Embark has confirmed three new ARC enemy types, each designed to test a different response from players.

• Bully closes distance aggressively and uses several lethal attacks. Its pressure makes cover use, timing, and accurate fire especially important.

• Skulker is an ambush-focused enemy that waits near the edge of a player's vision before striking. It can be particularly dangerous when a team is already distracted by loot, combat, or a larger ARC target.

• Hydra is a triple-section turret found on the Frigate. Its stacked components act independently, creating multiple firing threats and rewarding coordinated movement, cover discipline, and attacks during openings.

Rather than simply adding more targets to defeat, these enemies add new reasons to watch sightlines, reposition, and coordinate with a squad.

Outpost and Amplified Weapons Deepen Long-Term Progression

The Outpost is a new Raider Den expansion located between the Rust Belt and the mountains. Players can customize it with modules and furniture, while its Research Workstation provides a practical progression benefit: access to deeper weapon customization and higher-tier modifications.

That workstation is closely connected to the new Amplified Weapons system. By fully upgrading it, players can unlock a fifth quality tier for selected weapons. At launch, the system covers 15 weapons and adds branching abilities and enhancements that can change how familiar guns perform.

Embark's examples include:

• A fully automatic Burletta

• A Renegade equipped with a scope

• A Rattler using incendiary ammunition and a 64-round magazine

The system gives players a reason to keep developing favourite weapons instead of treating each new firearm as a complete replacement. It should also make loadouts more distinct, whether a Raider wants sustained fire, long-range precision, or a more aggressive close-range setup.

New Weapons and Gadgets Expand Combat Options

Frozen Trail adds two weapons with clearly different roles. The Stiletto is a light-ammo battle rifle positioned as an accessible early-game alternative to the Renegade. It is inexpensive to craft and useful at range, but firing too quickly reduces its accuracy, making controlled shots more effective than indiscriminate fire.

The Bantam is a short-barreled revolver that uses heavy ammunition. It is effective against both ARC machines and enemy Raiders, while its hip-fire capability gives it a close-range, aggressive identity.

New equipment further changes how players move and control engagements:

• Grappling Hook: Reaches elevated positions, supports quick descents, and helps cross wide gaps.

• Tether Launcher: Links two points with a wire, allowing players to pin targets or attach Raiders to ARC machines.

• Yank Grenade: Pulls nearby targets with explosive force, with the potential to drag flying ARC units downward or pull opponents from cover.

These tools are particularly relevant to Pendola Pass and the Frigate, where verticality, narrow routes, and abrupt encounters can decide a raid.

Reward Pass Replaces Raider Decks

Frozen Trail replaces the former Raider Deck structure with Reward Passes. Embark explained that the old system let players stockpile Cred and clear new decks immediately, weakening the reason to continue completing Feats over time.

The Frozen Trail Reward Pass has 60 levels with Free and Premium tracks. The Free track includes base outfits, cosmetic items, weapons, gadgets, items, and up to 200 Raider Tokens. The Premium track offers cosmetic upgrades, outfit colourways, weapon stencils, hairstyles, and up to 1,150 Raider Tokens. Embark states that the Premium Pass does not contain gameplay-advantage items such as weapons or gadgets.

A free Legacy Reward Pass will preserve access to the previous Raider Deck ecosystem. Existing rewards remain unlocked, and players who missed older cosmetics can continue working toward them. The former Cred currency is being retired, and unused Cred expires with the Frozen Trail update.

Free Play Runs From October 8 to October 12

From October 8 at 09:00 UTC to October 12 at 08:00 UTC, ARC Raiders is free to play on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation. This is full-game access rather than a limited demo. New players can enter Pendola Pass immediately when grouped with someone who has already unlocked the map.

For returning players, Frozen Trail delivers a substantial new destination and a broader progression loop. For newcomers, the free-play period is a useful entry point to learn the game's extraction fundamentals while the community is focused on fresh objectives, systems, and rewards. If you want help progressing through demanding raids, you can also Buy ARC Raiders Boosting Service on Z2U and compare available options.