ARC Raiders Frozen Trail is the 2.0 update that went live on 8 October 2026, adding the Pendola Pass map, Amplified Weapons, a personal Outpost, a reworked skill tree and a new Reward Pass. It is not a wipe: Embark moved existing Raider Decks into a free Legacy Pass and kept unlocked rewards, so your account, cosmetics and stash carry over.
Frozen Trail key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Update version | 2.0 (Frozen Trail) |
| Release date | 8 October 2026, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
| New map | Pendola Pass, an old Italian village and Exodus transport hub |
| New map conditions | Frigate (major ARC encounter) and Redirection (Pendola Pass only) |
| New ARC | Bully, Skulker, Hydra |
| New weapons | Stiletto (light ammo battle rifle), Bantam (heavy ammo revolver) |
| Amplified Weapons | Fifth quality tier, 15 weapons at launch |
| New quests | 22 |
| Wipe | No. Raider Deck rewards kept in the Legacy Pass |
Frozen Trail is the first release under the twice a year schedule for major updates that Embark announced in May 2026. That makes it the biggest content drop since the game launched on 30 October 2025, and the next one of this size is roughly six months away. Our guide on when the next ARC Raiders update comes out tracks that timing.
Pendola Pass: the new map
Pendola Pass sits in a frozen mountain range. Embark describes it as an old Italian village and Exodus transport hub, with a supermarket, a lifeless town square, an observatory and a buried train depot. The hook is that one of the Emperors has fallen, which leaves rare technology lying around for Raiders willing to dig it out.
The map is built with more verticality than earlier ones, with points of interest above and below ground. Two map conditions arrive with it:
- Frigate: a major new ARC encounter and map condition. It is excluded from the PvE test week.
- Redirection: a minor condition that exists only on Pendola Pass.
- Dynamic Loot Zones: a test system exclusive to Pendola Pass. Loot values vary from raid to raid, while loot types in each zone stay the same.
The Outpost questline also starts here. The first step of the unlock Project asks you to take a photo of a farmland house, which is why the new Camera gadget matters early.
Amplified Weapons and the Outpost
Amplified Weapons add a fifth quality level on top of the existing four. Each Amplified gun gets a branching path of abilities and enhancements, so two players can end up with different versions of the same weapon. The feature covers 15 weapons at launch, with more planned. One example from the patch notes: the Anvil Splitter becomes an improved upgrade option for the Amplified Anvil.
You do not get Amplified Weapons from loot. Embark ties them to the Outpost, a customizable base offered by Celeste between the Rust Belt and the mountain range. Its fully upgraded Research Workstation (called the Research Bench in the patch notes) opens the fifth quality level.
What the Outpost includes
- Modules you build and upgrade through a Project chain.
- 100 furniture designs to decorate it.
- The Research Workstation for higher weapon customization.
The Anvil also moved from Green to Blue rarity, and explosive damage was reworked to deal about 50% more against armor and about 30% less against fragile parts.
Skill tree rework
The skill tree was redesigned with new skills and choice nodes. Each branch now has a middle node where you pick one of two skills, and at the end of each branch are two nodes where you choose from a shared pool of three. Embark says you can make those choices again when you reset your skill tree.
Several guides report that all spent skill points were refunded at launch so players could rebuild for free. The official patch notes we read do not state the reset cost, so treat a free first respec as unconfirmed. The notes describe no removal of skill points, including bonus points earned from Expeditions.
Reward Pass replaces Cred and Raider Decks
This is the change that matters most for anyone checking an account after the update. Cred has been removed and replaced by Reward Points, which automatically advance whichever pass you have selected. Only one pass is active at a time.
| Pass | Cost | What it contains |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen Trail Free Pass | Free | 200 Raider Tokens, five outfits, gameplay items, 20 cosmetics (outfits, furniture, charms, attachments, emotes) |
| Frozen Trail Premium Pass | Paid | Premium toggles for all outfits, exclusive colorways, weapon stencils, hairstyles, 1,150 Raider Tokens |
| Legacy Pass | Free for all | All previous Raider Decks, with earlier unlocks kept |
The Frozen Trail Pass has 60 levels across the Free and Premium tracks. Rewards are unlocked by completing Feats. If you never finished an old Raider Deck, set the Legacy Pass as active and keep working through it.
Frozen Trail did not wipe anything, but it did freeze history. Expeditions are paused, Cred is gone and the old decks are now a side pass. Cosmetics earned before October 2026, such as the Expedition outfits, are now a closed set until Embark brings the system back.
Gadgets, enemies and quality of life
New gadgets and items
- Grappling Hook: climb hard to reach spots, abseil off buildings and swing over gaps.
- Tether Launcher and Yank Grenade: new ways to control ARC.
- Basic and Advanced Camera: zoom and emote features, plus the Outpost photo step.
- Mountaineer's Detector, Banjo and Harmonica.
- Weapon Stencils: 14 cosmetic reskins.
New ARC
- Bully: an aggressive beast that cedes no ground.
- Skulker: opportunistic, lying in wait.
- Hydra: a turret with three types of weaponry.
Changes worth knowing
- Stash upgrades go two tiers higher, to 328 slots before Expedition rewards or Nomadic Envoy space.
- Snap Hook range dropped from 20 m to 18 m and its power cost rose from 50 to 60.
- Heavy Shield movement penalty dropped from 15% to 10%.
- Embark is removing items obtained through duplication from inventories.
PvE toggle test, free weekend and drops
From 13 to 20 October 2026, Embark is testing a PvE only matchmaking toggle. Player damage is switched off, Solos, Duos and Trios share sessions, and PvE results do not touch your PvPvE matchmaking rating. Loot values are lower in PvE, and Night Raids, Hidden Bunker, Locked Gate and Frigate are excluded.
Embark says 51% of surveyed players want a dedicated PvE option, but also that there is a real chance the mode does not work out. The launch also came with free access from 8 to 12 October and Twitch Drops running until 4 November.
What Frozen Trail means for an ARC Raiders account
Because nothing was wiped, an account's value after Frozen Trail still comes from what can no longer be earned. Expeditions ended on 29 September and are paused until early 2027, so Expedition cosmetics and bonus skill points are fixed in supply for now. Read what the Expedition pause means for the details.
- Keeps its value: preorder and event cosmetics like the ARC Raiders G-Suit, Expedition outfits, bonus skill points.
- Still easy to rebuild: coins, blueprints and level.
- New after 2.0: Frozen Trail Pass cosmetics and Amplified Weapons, which anyone can earn by playing.
Duplicated items are the clear risk. Embark is actively removing them, so a stash built on dupes can shrink after you buy it. If you want to skip the grind for older cosmetics, browse ARC Raiders accounts for sale and check that the listing names them clearly.
Frequently asked questions
When did ARC Raiders Frozen Trail come out?
Frozen Trail, update 2.0, went live on 8 October 2026 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It came with a free access period from 8 to 12 October.
Did Frozen Trail wipe progress?
No. Embark kept accounts intact and moved Raider Decks into the free Legacy Pass with unlocked rewards kept. Only Cred was removed, replaced by Reward Points.
How do you get Amplified Weapons?
Unlock the Outpost on Pendola Pass, then fully upgrade its Research Workstation. That opens the fifth quality level for 15 weapons at launch.
Can you reset the new skill tree?
Yes. Embark says you can make your choice node picks again when you reset the tree. The official notes do not state the reset cost.
Is ARC Raiders getting a PvE mode?
Only as a test for now. A PvE only toggle runs from 13 to 20 October 2026, and Embark says it may not become permanent.
Are Expeditions part of Frozen Trail?
No. The fifth Expedition ended on 29 September 2026 and the system is paused until early 2027 for a redesign.
Want an account that already has the cosmetics Frozen Trail cannot give you? Every listing in our ARC Raiders account catalog is hand-checked before it goes live, comes with a lifetime warranty against recovery by the previous owner, and our team will help you pick the right one for your platform.
Sources
- Frozen Trail 2.0 Update patch notes (Embark Studios)
- Frozen Trail content preview (Embark Studios)
- ARC Raiders Frozen Trail 2.0 Patch Notes (KeenGamer)
- ARC Raiders is testing a PvE mode from 13 to 20 October (GamingBolt)
- ARC Raiders will test a PvE toggle in October (Shacknews)
- ARC Raiders Expeditions paused until 2027 (eXputer)
- ARC Raiders (Wikipedia)
