Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios has totally detailed the sport’s Cold Snap replace and its new cold-weather survival mechanics.
The replace, out December 16, provides the brand new Cold Snap map situation, which is a winter variant throughout Dam Battlegrounds, Buried Metropolis, Spaceport, and The Blue Gate maps. Cold Snap provides cold-weather survival mechanics fueled by snowstorms throughout Speranza. Snowfall reduces visibility, lakes freeze over, and the open floor turns into much more harmful. Publicity to excessive chilly causes frostbite, thus encouraging new methods round therapeutic gadgets, loadouts, and indoor shelter.
Arc Raiders Cold Snap gameplay adjustments, from Embark Studios:
- Environmental Hazard: Cold, harsh climate introduces new dangers for raiders who stay outside too lengthy. Gamers should be careful for frostbite, a creeping situation that slowly drains their well being bar.
- Shelter Mechanics: To stop frostbite, raiders will want to adapt their techniques because the chilly regularly seeps into their bones. Raiders should rethink their loadouts, guaranteeing they will heal themselves or their teammates and plan their extractions with care, discovering shelter if wanted.
- Visible Overhaul: Frost buildup, frozen lakes, snow accumulation and extra throughout Dam Battlegrounds, Buried Metropolis, Spaceport and The Blue Gate maps.
Elsewhere, distinctive loot and rewards can be found by way of the Flickering Flames occasion and Candleberry Banquet undertaking.
Flickering Flames Occasion: An act of endurance and endurance that checks Raiders’ survival abilities through the Cold Snap. Raiders can unlock rewards throughout 25 ranges, together with new gear, customizations parts and Raider Tokens by incomes Deserves, that are robotically gained from XP in rounds. To activate the occasion, Raiders will need to have performed 5 rounds of the sport.
Candleberry Banquet Challenge: A brand new undertaking that brings Raiders collectively to really feel the delicate heat that shines by way of the frigid chilly. Raiders can earn rewards by scavenging distinctive gadgets topside and accumulating Candleberries. It options 5 phases, every revealing a brand new scene on the banquet desk. Finishing phases grants rewards corresponding to beauty gadgets, Raider Tokens and Deserves, with Deserves contributing progress within the Flickering Flames occasion.
Beginning December 26, the Goalie Raider deck can be included within the base recreation. The brand new deck contains new gadgets and feats for gamers to full, providing rewards corresponding to Raider tokens, beauty gadgets and extra. These embody a hockey-inspired Raider outfit in a number of coloration variants, together with a hockey stick Raider software.
And at last, the Expedition Challenge Raider Reset lets gamers restart their journey with sure buffs, benefits, and rewards. The Expedition Challenge will present Raiders with a chance to endure a reset, bringing a brand new raider and a brand new story for the participant. This non-obligatory reset is unlocked by accumulating key supplies to construct a Caravan for the prevailing Raider then signing up for the departure through the Expedition window. By departing, gamers will reset their character progress for a brand new Arc Raiders journey with unique buffs, benefits and rewards that carry over.
In a blog post, Embark defined why it’s doing the seasonal reset. “Development wipes are a notoriously troublesome factor to steadiness in on-line multiplayer video games — we get that,” the developer mentioned. “Obligatory world wipes have some apparent advantages: closely invested gamers get to re-experience the preliminary grind as soon as once more and, for a time, the taking part in discipline is levelled. The non-obligatory Expedition Challenge is our resolution to a number of the issues that inevitably come up with necessary wipes — particularly, by respecting your time funding within the recreation. We wish to give you the selection:
“Not accomplished as a lot as you’d like? Carry on raiding, constructing, and rising. Prepared for a brand new problem and to grind as soon as once more? Depart on the Expedition, and obtain buffs, rewards, and bragging rights.”
Arc Raiders Cold Snap replace launch instances:
Embark Studios launches Cold Snap on Tuesday, December 16, at 10.30am CET / 9.30am UK time / 1.30am PT / 4.30am ET.
Cold Snap contains limited-time occasions and parts operating from Tuesday, December 16 till Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at 10.30am CET / 9.30am UK time / 1.30am PT / 4.30am ET.
Cold Snap is the final replace listed as a part of Arc Raiders’ 2025 content material roadmap, and Embark has but to define what’s coming in 2026. Arc Raiders bought over 4 million copies worldwide inside two weeks of launch, cementing its industrial success. Nexon additionally revealed that the extraction shooter had reached an enormous concurrent depend of 700,000 gamers throughout all platforms. It is achieved so properly it crossed over into the world of South Park with a shock look that was put collectively in just some days. Cementing its success, Arc Raiders received Finest Multiplayer eventually week’s The Sport Awards.
IGN’s Arc Raiders assessment, returned a 9/10. We mentioned: “With polished gunplay and an irresistible grind, Arc Raiders units a brand new customary for extraction shooters.”
If this has tempted you into leaping into Arc Raiders, try our information to the greatest settings, discover out what abilities we suggest unlocking first, and see how to earn loot by delivering discipline depot crates.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.