Embark Studios published a developer post on December 15, 2025 that lays out what the Cold Snap update will do for Arc Raiders, with the new map condition scheduled to go live on December 16. The announcement says the Rust Belt will be hit with deep winter weather that affects movement, visibility, and survival. During the Cold Snap condition, frozen water will be unstable, vision can be reduced in blizzard conditions, and frostbite will begin to whittle a Raider down unless they get indoors or heal quickly. The developer warned that getting pinned in the open during the storm is particularly dangerous.
Alongside the weather change, Embark Studios is launching the Flickering Flames event on December 16, which runs until January 13. The event centers on collecting Candleberries and other Special Items to redeem for rewards including Raider Tokens, new items, rare utility items, weapons, cosmetics, and Merits. The developer also said players will earn Merits simply by completing Topside activities and earning XP during the event. A short video for the event is available on YouTube:
Finally, the Winter Update adds a second free, permanent Raider Deck called The Goalie, which becomes available December 26. The Goalie deck focuses on Cred Topside rewards and includes a flagship Raider Tool hockey stick as a cosmetic offering. Players who want a quick refresher on earlier details about snow appearing across maps can see the earlier post on the update for context here.
Raiders can follow Us on social for ongoing Arc Raiders coverage: X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram.
ARC Raiders
Developed by Embark Studios
ARC Raiders is a multiplayer, extraction adventure, set in a lethal future earth, ravaged by a mysterious mechanized threat known as ARC.
- Genre: Shooter
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
- Modes: Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release: 2025-10-30
- Publisher: Embark Studios
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Age Rating:
ESRB T / PEGI 16 / GRAC 15+ / USK 18 / CLASS_IND 14 / ACB M
- IGDB Rating: 89.7/100
