ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Update Launches October 8 with New Pendola Pass Map and Major Progression Overhaul

Embark Studios has revealed the full scope of Frozen Trail, ARC Raiders' most ambitious update to date, arriving October 8 across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nvidia GeForce Now at no additional cost to all players.

The centerpiece is Pendola Pass, a frozen mountain region at the edge of the Rust Belt featuring an old Italian village, Exodus transport hub, and a massive fallen Emperor at its center. The map introduces dynamic Flash Freeze weather conditions that sweep across the landscape unpredictably, forcing Raiders to seek shelter in Avalanche Shelters or risk environmental damage. A new extraction method called the Ballistic Gondola accommodates only three Raiders and must be called in and boarded quickly.

Pendola Pass also introduces Redirection, a new map condition exclusive to the region. It allows Raiders to redirect Harvester Payloads toward their own location by calling in a Transmitter, but this attracts both ARC and rival players, forcing teams to defend the area before escaping with loot. This fundamentally changes extraction strategy from the traditional grab-and-go approach.

Three new ARC enemies join the roster. The Bully uses aggressive hit-and-run attacks, while the swift Skulker keeps Raiders tactical and responsive. The Hydra, found aboard the Frigate, can target multiple players simultaneously and respawns. The Frigate itself represents one of the game's highest-level challenges, requiring Raiders to board the massive airborne carrier, navigate its interior, and compete against both ARC and other players for its loot. Unlike other ARC encounters, the Frigate cannot be destroyed.

Frozen Trail significantly expands progression systems. Raiders can now establish Outposts outside Speranza, personal spaces that can be expanded with workbenches, crafted items, and decorative elements. A new Research Station unlocks Weapon Amplification, allowing players to upgrade 15 weapons beyond current limits with special mechanics and new skins. Changes to the Raider skill tree add new skills and improvements to existing abilities, offering more impactful playstyle customization.

New equipment includes the Grappling Hook for reaching difficult areas and swinging across gaps, the Tether Launcher for rooting enemies or attaching Raiders to ARC, and the Yank Grenade for pulling nearby targets toward its detonation point. Two new weapons arrive: the Stiletto, a light-ammo battle rifle, and the Bantam, a heavy-ammo revolver with a unique hip-fire ability. A fully functioning Camera with zoom, aperture, manual and automatic focus, and selfie mode allows first-person photography saved to the Codex. Musical instruments including a Harmonica and Banjo are also added.

A new Weapon Stencil system lets players customize weapon appearance without affecting stats. Once learned and consumed, stencils grant permanent ability to apply them to compatible weapons.

The Frozen Trail Reward Pass replaces existing progression with Free, Premium, and Legacy tracks. The Free Track includes 200 Raider Tokens, five outfits, gameplay items, and 20 cosmetic rewards. The Premium Track, unlocked via 1,150 Raider Tokens or the Frozen Trail Collectors Set, adds premium outfit toggles, exclusive colorways, Weapon Stencils, hairstyles, and 1,150 additional Raider Tokens, totaling 1,350 tokens across both tracks. The Legacy Pass is free and combines existing Raider Decks for continued progression.

Frozen Trail kicks off Trials Season 6 with new challenges. An improved quest system offers bonus XP for optional objectives. The Frozen Trail Collector Set DLC includes the Renzo outfit, Dragon's Breath Weapon Stencil, Bob hairstyle, 2,400 Raider Tokens, and unlocks the Premium Track.

The update arrives roughly six months after Riven Tides in April and marks ARC Raiders' first anniversary. The game has sold more than 16 million copies at around $40 each during its first year. Embark Studios has shifted toward a biannual update schedule to ensure larger scope and greater impact with each release.