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Just as Arc Raiders players began to wonder what's next after the Riven Tides update and the end of the game's early 2026 roadmap, developer Embark Studios has announced Frozen Trail, the game's "biggest update yet," alongside major changes to how those updates are rolled out.
In a May 13 blog post, Embark says "we planned to offer monthly updates" when Arc Raiders first launched. "But once the game was in players' hands, we saw that the kind of long-term experience we want to create for ARC Raiders requires more transformative updates," it adds.
"Over time, we’ve found that the pressure of a monthly cycle limits how impactful these updates can be. You feel it, and we feel it too. Running at that pace isn't sustainable, or compatible with the bigger ambitions we have for this game."
With that in mind, Arc Raiders will now receive "major" updates twice a year. Embark says these will be "larger in scale, more impactful, with the goal to genuinely change how you play the game," with "regular live updates" packing balance or bug fixes, as well as store refreshes, still arriving frequently.
Some players might balk at the idea of impactful updates coming less frequently compared to what's been released since launch, but Embark stresses that "this additional development space also allows us to invest more deeply in the health of ARC Raiders, from progression and economy balancing to fair play and anti-cheat efforts."
Carrying the banner of this new update schedule is Frozen Trail, which is set for October. "It's the largest we've released since launch," Embark says of the update, promising "to address the broader questions the community has been asking."
Here's the slightly condensed list of features and additions listed for Frozen Trail.
- "The largest map in the game" takes us to a "new landscape in the Rust Belt with layered design and new mysteries"
- New Arc "with fresh designs, and unique behaviors" appear in the "most ambitious ARC operation so far"
- "New systems of progression" introduce additional "goals and more ways to shape your Raider's progression," with a nod to players who have long since maxed their hideout and skill points
- The "origin of ARC" will be explored, finally diving into a major lore pillar
- An "improved skill tree" is coming, though it's not clear in what form
- New weapons, items, instruments, and cosmetics are also on the way
"We're refining core systems to support a more meaningful long-term experience – one you genuinely want to keep returning to. Frozen Trail is just the beginning of where we want to take ARC Raiders, and we’ll share more in the coming months," Embark reiterates.
Progression is a recurring focus in Embark's post. From Trials to the Expedition, core pursuits are going under the microscope. The studio's broadly pursuing "reasons to keep returning" to the game, which has become a hot topic among the game's maturing player base. Minor map conditions and a handful of blueprints have not kept some players as engaged now that they've done and seen it all, leaving some to wonder if it's just time to put the game down for a bit.
Waiting until October for a new major update might not be what those players were hoping to hear, but Embark is adamant that "the bi-annual cadence gives us the opportunity to develop to build future updates with more intention, ensuring that gameplay, progression, narrative, and the world itself all move forward together."
For now, we'll have to see what those not-major updates can do. Embark says it's got a hefty one out next week, adding a new trader to soak up hoarded resources and even letting players buy up to five slots to carry items over between Expeditions, including blueprints.
