Summary
ARC Raiders has sold over 16 million copies and won Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards 2025. On October 8, 2026, the game receives its biggest update yet—Frozen Trail—alongside a four-day free trial. If you want to gear up faster for the new content, you can also buy ARC Raiders Coins from trusted sellers to prepare your loadout in advance. This instructional guide walks you through everything you need to know to prepare, survive, and thrive in the new content.
Step 1: Know What's Coming Before You Drop In
Before you even launch the game, understand the scope of Frozen Trail. It's a "2.0-level update" that adds:
A new frozen map (Pendola Pass)
Three new ARC enemy types
A hardcore aerial challenge (Frigate)
A new base with customization (Outpost)
A new weapon upgrade tier (Amplified Weapons)
Full motion-capture character upgrades (starting with Celeste)
Knowing this lets you plan your play sessions around unlocking and experiencing each system in order.
Step 2: Prepare for Pendola Pass
What to Expect
Pendola Pass is a frozen Italian village beyond the Rust Belt mountains. Key locations include an abandoned supermarket, town square, observatory, and underground train station.
The design emphasizes verticality—you'll fight threats above and below ground. Always check your surroundings on multiple levels before committing to a position.
The Flash Freeze Mechanic
A new weather system forces you to find temporary shelter during certain periods. This makes extraction route planning more unpredictable.
How to handle it:
Identify shelter locations as soon as you spawn
Don't stray too far from cover when Flash Freeze is imminent
Plan extraction routes with shelter points in mind
Step 3: Learn the New Enemies
Three new ARC enemies change how you fight:
Bully
Behavior: Highly oppressive ground unit that charges fast and uses lethal attacks
How to counter: Use cover. Don't try to outrun it in the open. Break line of sight and reposition.
Skulker
Behavior: Lurks at the edge of your vision, strikes when you're distracted, then retreats and hides
How to counter: Keep your head on a swivel. Check your flanks frequently. After it retreats, don't assume it's gone—it will return.
Hydra
Behavior: Immobile turret-type enemy with three independent parts that can engage an entire squad
How to counter: Coordinate with your squad to focus fire on one part at a time. Don't ignore it—it will suppress your entire team.
Step 4: Take On the Frigate Challenge
The Frigate is a large vessel dispatched by ARC, designed as a hardcore challenge for high-skill players.
What It Involves
Boarding the ship
Navigating interior corridors
Fighting a mix of new and old ARC enemies
Key Tip
In this aerial close-quarters environment, you and other Raiders are forced to cooperate—or compete. Decide early whether you're teaming up or going solo. Cooperation usually improves survival odds, but trust is never guaranteed.
Step 5: Set Up Your Outpost
Celeste provides a new home away from home for Raiders heading to Pendola Pass. The Outpost sits between the Rust Belt and the dangerous mountains—your first step toward reclaiming the surface.
What You Can Do
Customize modules and furniture to make it your own
Build a Research Workstation to unlock advanced weapon customization and mod systems
Why It Matters
The Outpost is your progression hub for the new update. Fully upgrading the Research Workstation is the gateway to the new weapon system.
Step 6: Upgrade Your Weapons with Amplified Weapons
A new fifth-tier weapon upgrade system arrives with Frozen Trail.
How to Access It
Build and fully upgrade the Research Workstation at your Outpost.
Use it to deeply modify existing weapons.
What It Does
Amplified Weapons give your existing guns entirely new combat performance. Prioritize upgrading the weapons you use most—this is a direct power increase for your loadout.
Step 7: Experience the Celeste Character Upgrade
Celeste, the "unofficial leader" of Speranza, has been voiced by actress Diana Gardner since early development. But her old model couldn't fully represent Diana's performance—limited expressions broke immersion.
What Changed
Frozen Trail is Embark's first use of full motion capture, including detailed facial capture
Celeste now more closely resembles Diana, with voice and face matching for the first time
She looks different because she's no longer "hiding behind an imaginary face"
What's Next
Embark has stated this won't stop with Celeste: "In future updates, we plan to bring more characters in line with their real actors."
Note: This change has sparked mixed reactions—some players dislike the new look, but many support Embark's move toward real human performances over AI voice work.
Step 8: Use the Free Trial to Jump In (October 8–12)
To coincide with Frozen Trail's launch, the game is fully free to play for four days across all platforms.
Key Details
Beijing time: October 8, 5:00 PM to October 12, 4:00 PM
The full game is available—not a stripped-down demo
Trial progress carries over if you purchase
If you squad with a friend who has the new map unlocked, you can enter Pendola Pass immediately without unlocking it yourself
How to Maximize the Trial
Play with a friend who already owns the game and has the new map unlocked
Focus on experiencing Pendola Pass, the Frigate, and the new enemies
Test whether the game is worth buying—progress carries over if you do
Step 9: Prepare for the PvE Matchmaking Test (October 13–20)
After the update, the developers plan a PvE matchmaking mode test, letting players enjoy cooperative experiences without worrying about being killed by other players.
What to Know
Embark can't guarantee this mode will become permanent content
It's being explored based on player demand
If you want PvE to stick around, participate in the test and give feedback
Key Dates at a Glance
Date | Event |
October 6 | Frozen Trail trailer released (first look at real Celeste) |
October 8 | Frozen Trail update goes live + free trial begins |
October 12 | Free trial ends |
October 13–20 | PvE matchmaking test |
Final Checklist Before You Drop In
Clear your schedule for October 8–12 if you want to use the free trial
Squad up with a friend who has the new map unlocked
Familiarize yourself with Pendola Pass layout and shelter points
Learn Bully, Skulker, and Hydra behaviors before engaging
Decide your approach to the Frigate—cooperate or compete
Set up your Outpost and prioritize the Research Workstation
Start upgrading your main weapons with Amplified Weapons
Participate in the PvE test if you want cooperative modes to stay
Final Thoughts
Frozen Trail is a massive update covering a new map, new enemies, a new base system, weapon upgrades, and a full overhaul of character performance technology. Whether you're a returning veteran or a newcomer, the October 8 free trial is the perfect time to experience this TGA Best Multiplayer winner. You can also find ARC Raiders Coins for sale on MMOEXP. Prepare accordingly, and you'll hit the ground running.
