ARC Raiders Winter Update Freezes the Rust Belt With Cold Snap, New Survival Mechanics, and Seasonal Events
Embark Studios has officially deployed the first major winter update for ARC Raiders, introducing Cold Snap, a seasonal update that dramatically reshapes the Rust Belt and adds an entirely new layer of survival pressure to every run. Detailed in the official ARC Raiders winter update post, this update marks the final major content drop of 2025 and reinforces the studio’s momentum following the game’s explosive launch.
With Cold Snap now live, winter has fully settled over the Rust Belt. Beyond hostile players and relentless ARC machines, Raiders must now contend with extreme cold. Prolonged exposure can result in reduced visibility, freezing movement, and the onset of frostbite. Staying warm and maintaining momentum has become a critical part of survival strategy, forcing players to rethink routing, pacing, and loadout priorities every time they venture out.
The winter transformation is visually and mechanically reinforced in the Cold Snap gameplay trailer, which showcases snow covered environments, blizzard conditions, and the oppressive atmosphere that now defines surface expeditions. These dynamic map conditions ensure that no two runs feel the same, especially as weather effects compound the inherent unpredictability of multiplayer encounters.
Alongside environmental changes, Embark Studios is preparing to roll out a new Raider Deck later this month, expanding build variety and tactical decision making. A new limited time seasonal activity, the Flickering Flames event, has also gone live. This event centers on a rare moment of warmth and gratitude among the Sperenzans, who gather underground to celebrate survival with candlelight and scarce food supplies.
The Flickering Flames experience is further highlighted in the Flickering Flames event trailer. During runs, players are tasked with collecting Candleberries and scavenging sources of light and warmth to brighten underground shelters. Successfully extracting with these items allows players to earn cosmetics, weapons, Raider Tokens, and new gear, turning seasonal scavenging into meaningful progression.
According to the current ARC Raiders roadmap, Cold Snap represents the final large scale update of the year. It closes out an exceptional 2025 for Embark Studios and for ARC Raiders itself. While the game took home only one trophy at The Game Awards for Best Multiplayer, its post launch trajectory has been far more significant. Since launching at the end of October, ARC Raiders has seen rapid growth in both sales and concurrent player counts.
The title has firmly established itself as one of the defining games of 2025. It was even named the most searched video game of the year in Google’s annual wrap up, an impressive achievement given its late year release window. Despite surrounding controversy, Embark Studios has delivered a multiplayer experience that captured sustained global attention in record time.
Looking ahead, the real test lies in whether ARC Raiders can maintain and expand this success throughout 2026. History has shown that strong launches do not always guarantee long term stability in the multiplayer space. For now, however, Cold Snap provides players with a compelling reason to return, adapt, and endure the frozen Rust Belt once more.
Do you think ARC Raiders can maintain its momentum into 2026, or will the winter be its toughest challenge yet? Share your thoughts with us.
