TL;DR
- Frozen Trail (2.0) is live — Arc Raiders’ biggest update since launch, released October 8, 2026
- New map: Pendola Pass, plus two new map conditions (Frigate and Redirection)
- Three new ARC enemies: Bully, Skulker, and Hydra
- New weapons: Bantam and Stiletto; Anvil rarity upgraded to Blue
- Skill Tree fully revamped with binary choice nodes and new skills
- Raider Decks replaced by the new Reward Pass system; Cred currency removed
- Free trial weekend ran October 8–12; PvE toggle test runs October 13–20
Quick Read (60 seconds)
Embark Studios dropped the Frozen Trail 2.0 update for Arc Raiders on October 8, 2026 — calling it their biggest update since the game launched on October 30, 2025. It adds a brand-new map (Pendola Pass), three new ARC enemy types, two new weapons, a fully revamped Skill Tree, new gadgets including a Grappling Hook, and the Outpost — a personal base players can unlock and decorate. Raider Decks have also been replaced by a new Reward Pass system, and the Cred currency has been retired.
The update also delivered substantial balance changes, including an Anvil rarity increase, a reworked explosive damage formula, and the removal of Solo vs. Squads matchmaking. A free trial weekend ran from October 8–12, and a PvE toggle test is scheduled for October 13–20.
Arc Raiders Frozen Trail 2.0: Everything New (October 2026)
Frozen Trail went live on October 8, 2026 across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Here is a full breakdown of every major addition.
New Map: Pendola Pass
Pendola Pass is the newest map in Arc Raiders, introduced alongside two new map conditions — Frigate and Redirection. The map features a Dynamic Loot Zone system, which is exclusive to Pendola Pass for now. Loot values in certain areas vary from raid to raid, making fixed farming routes less reliable. Zones keep their loot type (Residential areas stay Residential), but the value output fluctuates each raid. Riven Tides also received a separate loot value increase of approximately 15%.
For a full exploration guide, check out our Arc Raiders Pendola Pass map guide.
New Enemies: Bully, Skulker, Hydra
Three new ARC enemy types join the roster in Frozen Trail. For a complete breakdown of the Bully’s attacks and weak points, see our Arc Raiders Bully enemy guide.
New Weapons: Bantam and Stiletto
The Bantam is a new uncommon hand cannon that fills the slot previously held by the Anvil at the lower rarity tier. The Stiletto is the second new weapon added in this update. Additionally, the Anvil has been moved from Green to Blue rarity — it was outperforming weapons above its rarity level, so Embark increased its tier rather than nerfing its feel. The Anvil Splitter mod has also been removed as a standalone mod and is now an upgrade path for the Amplified Anvil.
Amplified Weapons
Frozen Trail introduces Amplified Weapons, a new fifth weapon tier above existing rarities. Amplified Fragments are used to craft and repair Amplified Weapons and can be obtained by recycling old Anvil Splitter items.
Skill Tree Revamp
The Skill Tree has been fully redesigned. Each branch now includes a mid-point node with a binary choice between two skills — you can only pick one, and it resets when you reset your tree. At the end of each branch are two nodes where you choose up to two out of three available skills. Under-performing skills have been reworked or replaced, with the goal of making build identity a more meaningful part of the game. Key buffs include:
- Fight or Flight: Stamina gained increased by ~25% per level
- Stubborn Mule: Stamina regen values increased by ~33%
- Back on Your Feet: Healing increased from 30 to 40
New Gadgets
Frozen Trail adds several new gadgets: Grappling Hook, Tether Launcher, Yank Grenade, Basic and Advanced Cameras, Mountaineer’s Detector, and two social items — Banjo and Harmonica. The Snap Hook has been adjusted to differentiate it from the Grappling Hook: range reduced from 20m to 18m, durability cost per use doubled from 2% to 4%, and power cost raised from 50 to 60.
The Outpost
Players can now unlock a personal Outpost by completing a project (you’ll need a Camera for the first step). The Outpost can be expanded with modules and decorated using lootable Furniture Designs found Topside. Over 100 Furniture Designs have been added — 73 can be found in the world, 22 are unlocked by upgrading the Outpost, and a handful are exclusive to the Frozen Trail Pass or the new Collector DLC. The Outpost also unlocks access to a new Research Bench.
Reward Pass Replaces Raider Decks
The Reward Pass is the new progression system, replacing Raider Decks. The Cred currency has been removed and replaced by Reward Points, which automatically apply toward whichever pass you have active. The first new pass is the Frozen Trail Pass, with 60 levels across a Free and Premium track.
Existing Raider Decks have not been deleted — they have been moved into a Legacy Pass, and all previously unlocked rewards are preserved. Only one pass can be active at a time.
Key Balance Changes in Frozen Trail
- Anvil: Rarity upgraded from Green to Blue. Anvil Splitter removed as a standalone mod.
- Explosive damage vs ARC: Reworked formula — weapons like the Hullcracker deal 50%+ more damage against heavy armor plates but about 30% less against fragile parts.
- Heavy Shield: Durability decay reduced from 0.20 to 0.15; movement penalty reduced from 15% to 10%.
- Solo vs. Squads: Removed from matchmaking options while Embark re-evaluates its role.
- Jupiter: Fixed double damage propagation bug — now stronger against armor, slightly weaker against weak spots.
- Stash size: Maximum increased by two new tiers (328 slots max without Expedition bonuses).
Arc Raiders Full Patch History (2025–2026)
| Date | Version | Update | Key Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2026 | Hotfix 2.0.2 | Hotfix | Post-launch bug fixes for Frozen Trail. |
| Oct 8, 2026 | 2.0 | Frozen Trail | Pendola Pass, Bully/Skulker/Hydra enemies, Bantam/Stiletto weapons, Amplified Weapons, Skill Tree revamp, Outpost, Reward Pass, Grappling Hook, Weapon Stencils, Anvil rarity to Blue, explosive damage rework. |
| Jul 28, 2026 | 1.39.0 | Live Update | Matchmaking rework (only initiated fights count), Seeker & Wolfpack Grenade damage fix, map collision passes. No balance changes. |
| Jul 7, 2026 | 1.36.0 | Live Update | ARC Turbine loot buff, Turbine parts made Turbine-exclusive, Queen/Matriarch stomp wall-clip fix, Expedition Mystery Rewards, Trials Season 5. |
| Jun 16, 2026 | 1.33.0 | Forgotten Relics | Forgotten Relics event, Converging Paths project, Loot Compensation anti-cheat. |
| May 19, 2026 | 1.29.0 | Nomadic Envoys | Last pre-Frozen Trail balance pass: Bettina to 250 RPM, Photoelectric Cloak cost halved, Rascal launcher added. |
| Mar 17, 2026 | 1.22.0 | Flashpoint | New enemy (Vaporizer), new endgame mode, new weapons, increased loot in locked rooms. |
| Feb 24, 2026 | 1.17.0 | Shrouded Sky | Hurricane map condition, two new Rust Belt ARCs, enemy tuning pass. |
| Jan 27, 2026 | 1.13.0 | Headwinds | Bird City on Buried City, Trophy Display Project, Solo vs. Squads toggle (Level 40+). |
| Dec 16, 2025 | 1.7.0 | Cold Snap | Seasonal winter content drop. |
| Nov 13, 2025 | — | Store Update | Cosmetic price reductions; Raider Token refunds issued to players who overpaid. |
| Oct 30, 2025 | 1.0 | Launch | Game released on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Duos matchmaking priority added shortly after launch. |
Arc Raiders Adds Duos Matchmaking Following Community Requests
Embark Studios announced immediate changes to Arc Raiders’ matchmaking system after analyzing player feedback. The game now prioritizes pairing duo players with other duos, addressing one of the community’s most requested features since the October 30 launch.
Previously, matchmaking only separated players into solos and trios. The update was later expanded in Live Update 1.36.0, which split Solo, Duo, and Trio playstyles into separate tracking pools. In Live Update 1.39.0, matchmaking was further refined so only fights a squad initiates influence their playstyle bracket — defensive builds no longer get pushed into aggressive lobbies for firing back.
Cosmetic Price Reductions and Refunds
In response to community criticism about high cosmetic prices, Embark Studios reduced store prices during the November 13, 2025 store rotation. Players who purchased overpriced items received automatic Raider Token refunds within one week — no action required.
With Frozen Trail, the cosmetics system has evolved significantly. Weapon Stencils are now a new customization layer — 14 stencils in total, with 8 findable Topside, 5 exclusive to the Frozen Trail Premium Pass, and 1 tied to the Collector DLC. Note that stenciled weapons can still be looted by other players if you are knocked out.
No Pay-to-Win: Reward Pass and Raider Decks Explained
Embark Studios committed to no pay-to-win mechanics from launch, and that policy carries forward into the Frozen Trail Reward Pass. The Free track of the Reward Pass contains gameplay-relevant items; the Premium track is cosmetics only. Paying players gain no competitive advantage over free-to-play users.
Legacy Raider Decks have been preserved in the new Legacy Pass — all previously unlocked rewards remain available. Players can switch their active pass at any time, though only one pass earns Reward Points at a time. Twitch Drop rewards (Oxygen Respirator at 60 minutes, Mailbox at 120 minutes) are also live between October 8 and November 4, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the latest Arc Raiders update?
The latest Arc Raiders update is Frozen Trail 2.0, released October 8, 2026. It is the biggest update since launch, adding a new map (Pendola Pass), three new ARC enemies (Bully, Skulker, Hydra), two new weapons (Bantam and Stiletto), Amplified Weapons, a revamped Skill Tree, the Outpost base, the Grappling Hook, and the new Reward Pass system. A post-launch hotfix (2.0.2) was also released on October 9, 2026.
Will Arc Raiders have pay-to-win mechanics?
No. Embark Studios confirmed that the Premium Reward Pass contains cosmetics only, while the Free Reward Pass includes gameplay-relevant items. This ensures paying players gain no competitive advantage over free-to-play users, a policy that has been maintained since launch.
What happened to Raider Decks in Frozen Trail?
Raider Decks have been replaced by the new Reward Pass system as of the Frozen Trail 2.0 update. All existing Raider Decks have been moved into a Legacy Pass, and any rewards already unlocked are preserved. Players can set the Legacy Pass as their active pass at any time to continue earning progress through it.
What platforms is Arc Raiders available on?
Arc Raiders is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The game launched on October 30, 2025, and has received major updates including Cold Snap, Headwinds, Shrouded Sky, Flashpoint, and the Frozen Trail 2.0 update in October 2026. A free trial weekend ran from October 8–12, 2026.
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