ARC Raiders will be free to play on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation from Oct. 8 at 11:00 CEST through Oct. 12 at 10:00 CEST, giving players access to the full game as its first anniversary approaches. Embark’s free-weekend announcement confirms the offer across all three platforms, while its Steam post lists the same window.
The offer includes the complete extraction adventure, where Raiders scavenge while facing both ARC machines and other players. Friends can also team up during the same free-play window, regardless of whether they join on Steam, Xbox, or PlayStation.
Steam is also offering a separate purchase discount through its Autumn Sale. ARC Raiders is reduced by half to $30, £26, or €30 on the Steam store page, but that deal ends on Oct. 8, when the free-play period begins.
Xbox’s Free Play Days announcement lists the Xbox offer from Oct. 8 through Oct. 11 and confirms that Game Pass membership is not required. The base game, Deluxe Edition, and Deluxe Edition upgrade are also 50% off on Xbox through Oct. 15. Xbox notes that discount percentages and availability may vary by title and region.
Trial players will not necessarily need to unlock Pendola Pass before seeing it. New players can join a Pendola Pass run immediately when a teammate has already unlocked the region, as GamesRadar reports. Squads can therefore explore the update with an experienced teammate instead of waiting to open the map themselves.
Pendola Pass is a snowy mountain region in Italy built around a fallen Emperor walker. An abandoned supermarket and town square sit among vertical routes that offer different ways through the area. Its Flash Freeze condition will force Raiders outside to seek shelter, while Frozen Trail will also add the Redirection map condition.
Frozen Trail is scheduled to arrive when the promotion begins. The update will add Pendola Pass and the ARC Frigate operation, along with the Bully, Skulker, and Hydra enemies, the Stiletto battle rifle, the Bantam revolver, and new gadgets. The Pendola Pass map and ARC Frigate operation are among the additions, and Embark’s Frozen Trail content preview provides a fuller rundown.
Weapon Amplification, a reworked skill tree, a 60-level Reward Pass, and customizable Raider Outposts are also part of the update. New quests and Trials will arrive alongside a handheld camera and instruments including a banjo and harmonica, giving the free-play window more to offer than a brief tour of the new map.
Anything earned during the free period will carry over if a player buys the game afterward, including the contents of their Stash. Players can therefore use the trial to make progress instead of starting over with an empty inventory after purchasing the full game.
Which Frozen Trail addition would you want to try during the free-play window? For updates on the new map and progression systems, stay connected with us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
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. Enlist as a Raider and scavenge the surface to thrive in a desolate world. But beware of the machines. Beware of Raiders preying on others.
ARC Raiders blends the tension from extraction shooters with atmospheric settings from the adventure genre. Lurking threats—from deadly machines to other Raiders—create a constant ebb and flow of intensity, where every moment is charged with the thrill of high stakes. Extract valuable loot and explore the unfolding mysteries of a vibrant, lethal world.
ARC Raiders supports seamless social play across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Play with your squad and thrive as a team, or rise in the ranks as a lone ranger.
- Genre Shooter
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
- Perspective Third person
- Modes Multiplayer, Co-operative
- Release October 30, 2025
- Publisher Embark Studios
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Age Rating
