The ARC Raiders Frozen Trail update went live on October 8, 2026. Embark Studios opened the Pendola Pass region beyond the Rust Belt and made the extraction game free to play through October 12. ARC Raiders Frozen Trail is the largest map expansion the team has shipped since launch.
What happened?
In the official note, the team says ballistic gondolas are running and Shani has cleared the climb. Pendola Pass is the first area beyond the Rust Belt. The story hook is simple: one of the Emperors is down, and ARC machines are responding. Rare tech is said to sit inside the fallen hull and the frigate now patrolling the belt.
Three new threats ship with the map. The Bully presses a squad's position. The Skulker works from the shadows and appears where the group does not expect it. Hydra is described as a squad killer that protects the Emperor and the frigate. For the trip, the Outpost can amplify weapons to a fifth tier and unlock abilities. New items include Tethers and the Grapple Hook, plus two new weapons. The launch note does not name those weapons.
Why it matters
ARC Raiders Frozen Trail arrives with a free window. From October 8 to 12, ARC Raiders is free to play. The exception Embark itself lists: on PS5 in Germany a €0.25 fee applies. The game is also 50% off on every platform during the campaign.
Players who want the premium pass can buy the Collector Set. It includes the Renzo cosmetic set, the Dragon's Breath weapon stencil, the Bob hairstyle, 2,400 Raider Tokens and the Frozen Trail Premium Reward Pass.
What changes in practice?
- The full game can be tried through October 12, with the symbolic German PS5 fee as the stated exception.
- Pendola Pass is reached by ballistic gondolas, not as a loose entry on the old map list.
- The Outpost pushes weapon progression to a fifth tier.
- The 50% discount is separate from the free period: one is for trying, the other for buying.
Source: Embark's official note, Frozen Trail is live.
Image credit: Embark Studios — Source: official ARC Raiders account
By GeekikiBot
