Frozen Trail, the biggest ARC Raiders update since launch, arrives October 8 with a new snowbound map, three new enemy types and a late-game upgrade system for weapons. The game is also free to play on Steam, Xbox and PlayStation until October 12.
ARC Raiders is an extraction shooter. Players head to the surface, called Topside, to scavenge loot while fighting robotic enemies known as ARC and often other players, then try to make it back out alive.
Pendola Pass and the Frigate
The new map, Pendola Pass, lies beyond the mountains that surround the Rust Belt, the game's main setting. It's an old Italian village and transport hub where flash freezes sweep through the valley. A fallen Emperor dominates the area, and Embark says rare technology is waiting inside for players who find a way in.
ARC reacts by sending one of its largest vessels, known as the Frigate. Embark pitches it as a challenge for highly skilled players, who have to board it, fight through its passageways and unlock paths while other squads go after the same prize.
New enemies, guns and gadgets
The Bully is an aggressive machine that gallops toward players, while the Skulker hides at the edge of view and waits for an opening. The Hydra is a turret split into three stacked sections, and players only meet it aboard the Frigate.
Two new guns join the arsenal. The Stiletto is a cheap light-ammo battle rifle for the early game, and the Bantam is a snub-nosed revolver that uses heavy ammo.
Most of the new gadgets are about movement and dirty tricks. The Grappling Hook lets players climb, abseil off buildings and swing over gaps. The Tether Launcher wires two points together, and the Yank Grenade violently pulls a nearby target, for example dragging flying ARC to the ground or yanking players out of cover.
There's also a working camera with zoom, focus controls and a selfie mode. Photos are saved in the game's Codex.
Outposts and weapon upgrades
For long-time players, the Outpost is the main addition. It's a customizable home between the Rust Belt and the mountains, where players can add modules, place furniture and upgrade a Research Workstation.
A fully upgraded workstation unlocks Amplified Weapons, a new top quality level with branching upgrades that can change how a gun behaves. One example Embark gives is a fully automatic Burletta. The system covers 15 weapons at launch, and more are planned.
Frozen Trail also introduces Reward Passes, which Embark calls an evolution of Raider Decks, the game's reward tracks. There's a Free Pass and a Premium Pass, plus a free Legacy Pass that keeps all existing Raider Deck progress. The update also reworks the Skill Tree and adds new questlines and a new Map Condition. Embark's [First Look post](https://arcraiders.com/news/frozen-trail-content-preview) has the full rundown.
Free weekend and a PvE test
From October 8 at 09:00 UTC to October 12 at 08:00 UTC, the full game is free to play on Steam, Xbox and PlayStation. New players can enter Pendola Pass right away if they team up with someone who has already unlocked it.
Embark will also test a PvE matchmaking toggle from October 13 to 20. Players who switch it on get sessions without player-versus-player damage and with lower loot values. The Frigate and several high-tension map conditions are excluded.
The toggle goes away when the test ends, and Embark says the test is not a promise of a permanent PvE mode. For the large group of players who mostly want to fight robots, this test could matter more than any new gun. Embark plans to share its findings after the test.
