ARC Raiders has just received one of its biggest updates yet, giving players plenty of reasons to return to the extraction shooter after months of stagnated player counts. The new Frozen Trail update, also referred to as version 2.0, introduces a new map, enemies, weapons, progression systems, quests, and several major gameplay changes.

What makes everything even better is that ARC Raiders is currently free to play from October 8 through October 12. With the free weekend now underway alongside the huge update, the game’s player count on Steam has started climbing again as both new and returning players jump in. As we progress into the weekend, we expect its popularity to grow even higher.

What does the ARC Raiders 2.0 update offer?

One of the biggest additions is Pendola Pass, an entirely new map that also introduces a Dynamic Loot Zone system. Rather than having the most valuable areas remain exactly the same during every raid, the value of certain locations can now change between matches. Their loot types remain consistent, but one residential area, for example, could be more valuable during one raid and less rewarding during another.

There are also two new map conditions called Frigate and Redirection, along with three new enemies: Bully, Skulker, and Hydra. Players have more equipment to use against them as well, including two new weapons called the Bantam and Stiletto, Amplified Weapons, a Grappling Hook, Tether Launcher, Yank Grenade, cameras, and several other items.

Another important part of the 2.0 update is the redesigned Skill Tree. Embark Studios found that the previous system wasn’t giving players enough meaningful choices when creating different builds, so existing skills have been changed or replaced while several new ones have been introduced.

Some nodes now force players to choose between different skills rather than eventually unlocking everything along a single path. Later sections also present three possible skills, with players able to select up to two after investing enough points. The idea is to make builds more distinct and give skill choices a bigger impact on how each player approaches the game.

The update also introduces The Outpost, which can be unlocked by completing a project. Once available, players can expand it with different modules and gain access to a new Research Station. There are 100 Furniture Designs to collect and unlock, giving players plenty of options for customizing their Outpost.

Progression has received another major change with the new Reward Pass system, which replaces Raider Deck progression going forward. Cred has been removed and replaced by Reward Points, which automatically contribute toward whichever pass you currently have active. The first is the Frozen Trail Pass, featuring 60 levels across free and premium tracks. Existing Raider Decks haven’t disappeared and are instead available through the Legacy Pass.

There are plenty of smaller changes as well. For instance, the update adds 22 new quests, Weapon Stencils for customizing guns, two additional Stash upgrade levels that increase the standard maximum to 328 slots, and a redesigned map selection screen. Feats have also been divided into Easy, Medium, and Hard categories with different Reward Point payouts. Aside from that, there are numerous performance improvements and bug fixes.

These are some of the changes included in the latest ARC Raiders update. For the full list of additions, changes, and improvements, you can check out the official patch notes.

About the Author

Abdul Haddi

Abdul is a tech writer and Editor for PC Guide, specializing in all things tech, gaming, and hardware.