Arc Raiders just got its biggest update since launch. Embark Studios’ Frozen Trail 2.0 update went live on Thursday, October 8, and the official patch notes run long, with a new map, new enemies, new gadgets, a home base you can decorate, and a rebuilt progression system.
Embark released the Frozen Trail launch trailer on October 6:
The headliner is Pendola Pass, a snowy new map. It is also the testing ground for a Dynamic Loot Zone system, which changes how valuable certain areas are from raid to raid so routes are less predictable. Areas keep their loot type, but their value can rise or fall. New map conditions called Frigate and Redirection arrive too, along with three new enemies, the Bully, Skulker, and Hydra.
On the gear side, there are two new weapons, the Bantam and Stiletto, and a new Amplified Weapons system for upgrading favorites. New items include a Grappling Hook, Basic and Advanced Cameras, a Tether Launcher, a Yank Grenade, a Mountaineer’s Detector, and even a banjo and a harmonica. To keep the new Grappling Hook distinct, the existing Snap Hook’s range drops from 20 meters to 18 and it costs more power to use.
Players can now unlock an Outpost by completing a project, then expand it with modules and fill it with craftable furniture. Embark added 100 furniture designs, most of them found while raiding. The Skill Tree has been reworked with new skills and harder choices, and 22 new quests now award XP when completed.
Progression is changing too. Raider Decks have become the Reward Pass, and Cred has been replaced by Reward Points. The first season, the Frozen Trail Pass, has 60 levels across free and premium tracks, and old Raider Deck progress moves into a Legacy Pass. Other changes include two more stash upgrades for a 328-slot maximum, the ability to open your map while downed, and the removal of the Solo vs. Squads matchmaking option while Embark re-evaluates it.
A Twitch Drops event runs from October 8 to November 4, with backpack attachments for watching 60 and 120 minutes. The timing lines up with the game’s free weekend, as RCG reported: Arc Raiders free weekend opens Oct. 8 to 12.
