Embark Studios called it “the largest we’ve released since launch,” and it wasn’t exaggerating. ARC Raiders update 2.0, Frozen Trail, went live on October 8. It adds:
- a new map
- new ARC enemies
- a weapon upgrade tier
- a rebuilt skill tree
- an overhauled progression system
Then, a few days later, Embark announced the thing a big chunk of the community has been asking for: a PvE matchmaking toggle, in a live test starting tomorrow. Here’s everything you need to know.
The PvE toggle test: October 13–20
From October 13 at 11:00 CEST (2:00 a.m. PT) to October 20 at 11:00 CEST, you can switch between the standard PvPvE mode and new PvE-only servers.
On PvE servers:
- No player-to-player damage. Stun and fire throwables won’t affect other Raiders. Barricades and ziplines still work normally.
- Lower loot value overall, so playing it safe comes at a cost.
- Mixed squad sizes: squad separation isn’t prioritized, so solos and full squads will cross paths more often.
- ARC can re-acquire downed players. You get an 8-second grace period, but if you move after that, the machines can come back for you.
- Not every mode is included. Night Raid, Locked Gate, Hidden Bunker, Frigate and Redirection don’t offer a PvE option.
Important: this is a test, not a new mode. The toggle goes away when the beta ends, and Embark hasn’t promised it will return.
“This is a test, and to get the very best data, we need you to play,” Embark wrote. A feedback survey follows the test. If you want PvE in ARC Raiders long-term, this is your week to show up.
New map: Pendola Pass
Frozen Trail takes Raiders beyond the Rust Belt to Pendola Pass, a frozen Italian mountain village and Exodus transport hub.
- Flash Freeze storms sweep the valley mid-raid.
- The Ballistic Gondola is a new way out. Activate a transceiver to call it, then breach a tube to board. You can even Grappling Hook onto a departing gondola.
- Dynamic Loot Zones debut here: an area’s loot value changes from raid to raid, while its loot type stays the same.
- According to the full changelog, the map unlocks after 25 rounds played.
New map conditions
- Frigate: an ARC Operation that can show up on every main map. Board the ship for rare tech, but there are no free loadouts, no Raider Hatches, no locked doors, and less loot overall while it’s active.
- Redirection (Pendola Pass only): Emperor Beacons activate across the map, and Raiders can use them to call Harvester Payloads down on their position. There’s no Flash Freeze, but watch for falling debris.
New ARC
- Bully: charges at you relentlessly.
- Skulker: ambushes from the shadows.
- Hydra: a three-part turret that guards the Emperor and the Frigate, and it’s built to take on a full squad.
Amplified Weapons
A new fifth quality level for existing weapons, unlocked through Outpost research.
- Amplification is permanent and opens branching upgrades: think a fully automatic Burletta, a scoped Renegade or a drum-mag Rattler.
- Requires the Gunsmith and Research Station at level 4.
- Amplified guns have higher durability and are repaired with Amplified Fragments.
- The catch: die with one and it drops to 10% durability.
New weapons and gadgets
- Stiletto: an uncommon semi-auto battle rifle using Light Ammo.
- Bantam: an uncommon double-action revolver with strong ARC armor penetration. It takes over the Anvil’s old role as the Uncommon hand cannon.
- Grappling Hook: 20 m range, anchors to most surfaces.
- Tether Launcher: links two targets with a line.
- Yank Grenade: pulls its target toward the impact point.
- Cameras: now needed for the Outpost and several quests.
Skill tree rework
- Mid-branch nodes are now a binary choice between two skills. Changing your pick requires a tree reset.
- End-of-branch nodes let you pick from three skills, and take two once you’ve invested enough points.
- New skills include Wall Run, Bull Rush, Weapon Bash, Security Breach, Road Warrior and Field Repair.
Progression: goodbye Cred, hello Reward Points
- Raider Decks are replaced by the Reward Pass. The Frozen Trail Pass has 60 levels across Free and Premium tracks, and old decks live on in a Legacy Pass.
- Cred is gone, replaced by Reward Points earned through Easy, Medium and Hard Feats.
- Weekly milestones grant 250 Reward Points each.
- The Outpost arrives: a home base you unlock through the Sheltered Retreat project, with a Research Station and 100 furniture designs to find. You can’t walk around it yet.
Balance changes worth knowing
- Snap Hook nerfed: range 20 m → 18 m, durability cost 2% → 4% per use, power cost 50 → 60.
- Heavy Shield buffed: durability decay 0.20 → 0.15, movement penalty 15% → 10%.
- Explosives reworked: 50%+ more damage to ARC armor plates, about 30% less to fragile parts.
- Anvil moved to Rare. It loses its Tech Mod slot, and the Anvil Splitter becomes an Amplified upgrade instead of a mod.
- Stash expanded: two more upgrade tiers, up to 328 slots.
- Solo vs. Squads removed from matchmaking. Embark says it’s re-evaluating the mode’s role.
Everything else
- Quests: 22 new quests, and quests and objectives now grant XP.
- Traders: Cassio replaces Ermal.
- Movement: you can scramble up steep slopes while sprinting.
- Tech: AMD FSR 4.1.1 support, and fixes for Xbox party invites and console voice chat.
- Duplicated items: accounts hoarding large amounts of duplicated items are being restricted, and the items removed.
- Twitch Drops: live through November 4.
Known issues
- The Hydra can detect and shoot players through walls in the Cargo area.
- Standing on the side of the Cargo drop can eliminate you instantly.
- The Tether Launcher can’t be repaired yet.
- Keybinds reset after each raid on non-English keyboard layouts.
Embark is tracking all of these. Expect hotfixes soon.
Sources
- Embark Studios — Frozen Trail 2.0 Update (official notes)
- Embark Studios — PvE Toggle Beta Test: October 13–20
- Embark Studios — Changes to the ARC Raiders update schedule
- TheArcRaiders.com — Frozen Trail 2.0 full changelog
Header image: ARC Raiders © Embark Studios
