Embark Studios has released the biggest update Arc Raiders has seen since launch. The Frozen Trail patch, labelled version 2.0, arrived on 8th October and brings a new map, three new ARC enemy types, a revamped skill tree, and a player Outpost where Raiders can research weapons and craft furniture.
The headline addition is Pendola Pass, a frozen mountain region built around a downed Emperor-class vessel. It launches alongside two new map conditions: Frigate, which drops a second large-scale location to fight through, and Redirection, which reshuffles encounter layouts between raids. Pendola Pass is also testing Dynamic Loot Zones, where the value of an area’s loot rises or falls between visits, so a route that paid well last time may be leaner next time around.
Three New ARC Enemies and Two New Weapons
The ARC roster grows with the Bully, the Skulker, and the Hydra. The Bully is a close-range aggressor, the Skulker favours ambush tactics, and the Hydra is described by Embark as a squad killer that guards both the Emperor wreckage and the new Frigate condition. The Hydra can detect and shoot through Cargo walls, though it will not deal damage through them.
Two new weapons join the loadout pool: the Bantam, an uncommon hand cannon that takes over from the Anvil in that rarity slot, and the Stiletto. The Anvil itself has moved up to Blue rarity and is now part of the Amplified Weapons system, a new upgrade path that replaces the old Tech Mod slot with a progression track repaired using Amplified Fragments.
Key change: The Snap Hook now reaches 18 metres instead of 20, consumes twice as much durability per use, and costs more power. Expect your vertical escapes to demand more careful planning.
Skill Tree Rebuild and Cred Removed
The skill tree has been rebuilt from the ground up. Each branch now has a middle node where you must choose between two skills, forcing meaningful decisions rather than linear progression. New skills and improvements to existing ones aim to let players embellish their playstyle more effectively.
Cred, the game’s existing currency, has been removed entirely. It is replaced by Reward Points, which advance whichever Reward Pass you have active. The first of these is the Frozen Trail Pass, featuring 60 levels across a Free and a Premium track. Existing Raider Decks have been moved into a Legacy Pass: any rewards already unlocked are kept, and you can continue progressing through the Legacy Pass by setting it as your active pass. Only one pass can be active at a time.
The Outpost and Weapon Research
The Outpost is a new player space unlocked by completing a project. Inside, a Research Bench lets you upgrade weapons to a fifth tier and unlock special abilities. Lootable Design items found during raids unlock craftable furniture for the Outpost, giving players a personal base to customise between extractions.
A total of 22 new quests have been added alongside quest system improvements. The map selection screen has been reworked with visual and usability changes, and the default gamepad mapping has been updated. Weapon Stencils offer a new cosmetic layer for personalising the look of your arsenal.
Explosive Damage Rework and Stash Expansion
The explosive damage formula has been adjusted. Weapons such as the Hullcracker now deal over 50 per cent more damage to ARC armour plates but roughly 30 per cent less to fragile parts, making explosive loadouts a more deliberate choice rather than a blanket solution.
Stash capacity has been raised by two tiers, reaching a maximum of 328 slots without Expedition bonuses or Nomadic Envoy space. For players who have been hoarding materials, that is a meaningful quality-of-life improvement.
Free Access Window and PvE Toggle Test
Arc Raiders is free to play from 8th to 12th October, giving players a five-day window to jump in and try the update. The game is also 50 per cent off on all platforms during this period. A Collector Set DLC and the Premium Reward Pass are separate purchases.
Looking slightly further ahead, Embark is testing a PvE toggle from 13th to 20th October, five days after Frozen Trail’s launch. This will let players opt into sessions without other Raiders competing for loot, addressing a long-standing request from the community.
A hotfix (2.0.2) has already been deployed to address weapon mesh visibility issues, inventory display problems, and several server crashes. Embark is also aware of an issue where the Reward Pass is not progressing for some players and is working on a fix.
