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ARC Raiders has been an absolute monster of a game since its release earlier this year in October. From breaking its own player count multiple times across multiple different weeks, to winning the Multiplayer Game of the Year.
With that in mind, Embark Studios has set a plethora of content in motion, from the event earlier in November to the all-new upcoming Cold Snap map condition!
What is the Cold Snap in ARC Raiders?
The new Cold Snap condition will be available on all open maps: Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, and The Blue Gate. Players will need to battle against a new mechanic called Frostbite, which will slowly drain the players' health.
To survive, players will need to make judicious use of their health items or find shelter when the Frostbite hits a little too hard. Navigating will also change across maps, as lakes have frozen over and visibility has dropped due to the snow. Players looking to rat it out from sniper positions will be left out to freeze.
In comes the content: New events, Raider Deck, Projects, items, and more!
Along with the Cold Snap, players will get access to a whole swath of new goodies to obtain. Starting with the all-new free Raider Deck, The Goalie. Starting December 26, the Goalie Raider Deck will provide a decent chunk of content and rewards for players to obtain. Like all free Raider Decks, the Goalie will remain accessible permanently.
A new event will also hit, called Flickering Flames. According to Embark, the new Flickering Flames is as follows:
“An act of endurance and patience that tests Raiders’ survival skills during the Cold Snap. Raiders can unlock rewards across 25 levels, including new gear, customization elements, and Raider Tokens by earning Merits, which are automatically gained from XP in rounds."
"To activate the event, Raiders must have played five rounds of the game.”
The event will be available from December 16, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. CET until Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 10:30 a.m. CET.
As part of the event, players will also get access to the Candleberries project.
“A new project that brings Raiders together to feel the fragile warmth that shines through the frigid cold. Raiders can earn rewards by scavenging unique items topside and collecting Candleberries. It features 5 stages, each revealing a new scene on the banquet table. Completing stages grants rewards such as cosmetic items, Raider Tokens, and Merits, with Merits contributing progress in the Flickering Flames event.”
Raiders will also gain access to new items and feats! Cosmetic items galore, Raider tokens, and my personal favorite (as a Minnesotan), a hockey stick Raider tool!
Last, but not least, players will finally be able to start all over again if they wish. Taking on an Expedition (assuming they’ve completed the prerequisite tasks), players can do a full character wipe.
The wipe will grant the opportunity for players to reset their character stats and stash, while granting buffs to their next Raider. This includes a buffed stash, additional experience gain, a larger stash, and more.
Another reason to keep playing my favorite multiplayer game
I can’t really put into words just how excited I am to try the new ARC Raiders update. I waited for years for ARC Raiders to release, and it’s one of the few games I’ve ever played that truly lived up to the hype. The very fact that ARC Raiders continues to see success tickles me pink, and the promise of support for years to come puts the biggest smile on my face.
Snow effects are some of my all-time favorite video game additions. Being from the state of hockey, you can imagine my love for snow outweighs that of a normal human being.
Few games have ever gotten that effect right. Like that of GTA V, players can make actual indentations in the snow when walking and driving. Few games these days take that into account, but when done properly, nothing feels quite as satisfying, especially from a third-person perspective.
Battling the elements will also lean into the more hardcore side of my survival gamer instincts. While it’s not the needless addition of having to slam food and water while out and about, playing in the aspects of winter, even on the lighter side, will bring a great addition to an already packed game.
Here’s to hoping they add a couple of Yeti ARCs to trounce players. I can only imagine the carnage a bipedal ARC would create as it ravaged its way through players. Imagine something on the scale of a Rocketeer that could sprint its way through hallways at the same speed as a player, while taking copious amounts of damage. Maybe that’s leaning a little too heavily into the horror genre?
While I’ll physically have to wait until tomorrow to get my hands on the latest and greatest from Embark Studios, the next 24 hours are going to be incredibly painful. Ripping into my very extraction shooter soul. I guess, in the meantime, I’ll have to take another shot or two at EngineFall, my latest beau, Escape from Tarkov.
Are you excited for the next ARC Raiders update? Let us know below or on social media. Will you be resetting all your hard-earned progress?
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