ARC Raiders keeps rewarding its community with free cosmetics through Twitch Drops, and the latest campaign — tied to the massive Frozen Trail 2.0 update — is live right now. By watching participating streams for as little as an hour, you can unlock exclusive backpack attachments for your Raider at no cost.
This guide covers everything you need to know: what’s available, how long you have to earn it, how to link your accounts, and how to claim your rewards correctly.
What Are Twitch Drops?
If you’re new to Twitch Drops, here’s the quick version: they’re a reward system where you earn in-game items by watching designated streams on Twitch. It’s a win-win — streamers get viewers, you get free cosmetics, and the game gets more exposure. No purchases or challenges required, just passive viewing.
The beauty of this system is that you don’t need to actively watch. You can have the stream running in the background (muted if you prefer) while you work, browse, or even play the game yourself. As long as the stream is running and you’re logged into your linked Twitch account, you’re earning progress toward your drops.
Current ARC Raiders Twitch Drops Campaign — Frozen Trail (October 2026)
The current campaign launched alongside the Frozen Trail 2.0 update on October 8, 2026, and runs until November 4, 2026. That gives you roughly four weeks to earn both rewards — very manageable since the total watch time is just two hours.
All Available ARC Raiders Twitch Drops — Frozen Trail Campaign
There are two backpack attachment cosmetics available in this campaign:
Oxygen Respirator Backpack Attachment
- Watch time required: 60 minutes
- Campaign ends: November 4, 2026
- A backpack attachment cosmetic that adds a utilitarian survival look to your Raider’s kit
Mailbox Backpack Attachment
- Watch time required: 2 hours (cumulative — includes time from the first drop)
- Campaign ends: November 4, 2026
- A quirky backpack attachment that adds personality to your loadout
Both items expire on the same date, so there’s no need to prioritize one over the other — just aim to hit two hours total before November 4.
Step-by-Step: Linking Your Embark Account to Twitch
Before you can earn any drops, you need to connect your Embark account with Twitch. This is a one-time setup that takes less than five minutes:
- Visit the Embark website — Head to id.embark.games and log in with your platform credentials (Steam, Epic Games, PlayStation, or Xbox)
- Access your profile settings — Click on your profile icon in the top-right corner of the page
- Navigate to Connected Platforms — Select this option from the dropdown menu
- Link your Twitch account — Find Twitch in the list of available platforms and click “Link”
- Authorize the connection — Sign in with your Twitch credentials and approve the connection when prompted
Once linked, you’re all set. This connection persists across campaigns, so you won’t need to repeat this process for future ARC Raiders Twitch Drops.
How to Earn Twitch Drops: Finding the Right Streams
Now that your accounts are linked, it’s time to start earning. Here’s how to find eligible streams and track your progress:
Finding Drop-enabled streams:
- Open Twitch and search for “ARC Raiders” in the game directory
- Look for streams with the “Drops Enabled” tag — this usually appears in the stream title, thumbnail, or description
- You can also filter the ARC Raiders category to show only Drop-enabled streams
- Many streamers will mention drops in their stream title to attract viewers
Tracking your progress:
- While watching, you’ll see a progress indicator beneath the video player showing how close you are to the next reward
- Twitch will notify you when you’ve earned a drop — both on-screen and via a notification icon
- You don’t need to watch a single stream continuously; watch time accumulates across multiple streams and sessions
Pro tip: Make sure you’re actually “watching” the stream. Having it muted is fine, but if you navigate away from the tab for too long, Twitch may pause your progress. Keep the tab open (even in the background) to ensure continuous progress.
Claiming Your Rewards
Earning the drop and claiming it are two separate steps. Here’s what to do once you’ve unlocked a reward:
- Check your notifications — When you’ve earned a drop, Twitch will alert you with a notification
- Visit your Drops Inventory — Click on your profile icon in the top-right corner of Twitch and select “Drops” from the menu, or go directly to the Twitch Drops Inventory page
- Claim your rewards — Each earned item will appear here with a “Claim” button. Click it to officially add the item to your ARC Raiders account
- Check in-game — If you’re already playing ARC Raiders when you claim a drop, log out completely and log back in. Your new backpack attachment should appear in your cosmetics inventory
Important: Both rewards must be claimed before November 4, 2026. Earning a drop but failing to claim it before that date means you lose it permanently. Claim as soon as you’re notified rather than letting unclaimed rewards pile up.
Maximizing Your Drops Experience
Two hours is all you need: The Mailbox attachment requires the most watch time at two cumulative hours. Since both drops share the same November 4 deadline, just aim for two hours total and you’ll collect everything.
Support smaller streamers: While big-name streamers might be tempting, consider checking out smaller ARC Raiders creators. They often have more interactive chats and appreciate the viewership boost.
Combine with learning: The Frozen Trail 2.0 update added a huge amount of new content — Pendola Pass, the Outpost, Amplified Weapons, new ARC enemies, and more. Use your drop-watching time productively by watching skilled players navigate all the new systems. If you’re struggling with performance, check out our optimization settings guide to ensure your game runs smoothly.
Watch on mobile: The Twitch mobile app counts toward drop progress, so you can earn rewards while commuting or away from your PC.
What’s Next for ARC Raiders Twitch Drops?
Embark Studios has confirmed that ARC Raiders is now on a bi-annual major update schedule, meaning the next big content drop after Frozen Trail won’t arrive until 2027. New Twitch Drop campaigns typically launch alongside major updates, so the next opportunity for new cosmetics will likely coincide with whatever Embark has planned for early-to-mid 2027.
We’ll update this guide whenever new drops are announced, so bookmark this page and check back regularly. Following Embark Studios’ official social media channels and the ARC Raiders community will also help you stay informed about upcoming campaigns.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Drops not progressing?
- Verify your accounts are still linked in your Embark account settings at id.embark.games
- Make sure the stream actually has “Drops Enabled” in the title or tags
- Refresh the stream page or try a different Drop-enabled stream
Can’t find the claimed item in-game?
- Ensure you clicked “Claim” in your Twitch Drops Inventory, not just earned it
- Fully restart ARC Raiders (not just return to menu)
- Check your cosmetics inventory — backpack attachments appear there, not as a pop-up notification
Rewards expired before claiming?
- Unfortunately, expired drops can’t be recovered. Claim as soon as Twitch notifies you to avoid this.
Conclusion: Free Backpack Attachments Just for Watching
The Frozen Trail Twitch Drops campaign is one of the easiest ways to score exclusive cosmetics in ARC Raiders without spending anything. Just two hours of watching — spread across however many sessions you like — nets you both the Oxygen Respirator and Mailbox backpack attachments before November 4, 2026.
If you haven’t linked your Embark and Twitch accounts yet, do it now at id.embark.games so you’re set for this campaign and any future ones.
External Resources:
Happy watching, and see you Topside with your fresh new cosmetics!
Also Check: Complete Guide to Playing ARC Raiders with Friends Using Crossplay
