ARC Raiders: Shrouded Sky Update Brings Fury of the Hurricane to the Rust Belt

On February 24, 2026, Swedish developer Embark Studios rolled out one of the most ambitious updates yet for ARC Raiders. Titled Shrouded Sky, the update introduces a massive dynamic weather event that transforms the Rust Belt into a violent battlefield defined by hurricane-force winds, blinding fog, and relentless environmental hazards.

More than a simple seasonal patch, Shrouded Sky fundamentally changes how players approach expeditions. By merging environmental storytelling with mechanical depth, the update pushes Raiders to rethink movement, combat, stealth, and risk management. At its center is a narrative-driven hurricane tearing across the surface world of 2181 - a storm that doesn't just decorate the map but reshapes the entire extraction experience.

A Narrative Storm: Speranza Holds Its Breath

Within the game's lore, the underground city of Speranza - humanity's fragile refuge from ARC machines - is thrown into lockdown as the hurricane approaches. Security protocols enforced by Shani restrict travel through the Tubes, reflecting fears that aggressive ARC units are roaming the storm-shrouded surface.

The update frames the hurricane as a narrative catalyst. Raiders, known for defying orders when valuable loot is at stake, venture topside despite the danger. The announcement's tagline - "Speranza holds its breath" - captures a world paused between survival instinct and opportunism.

This narrative framing reinforces one of ARC Raiders' defining strengths: the constant tension between risk and reward. Shrouded Sky amplifies that tension by making the environment itself unpredictable, hostile, and strategically important.

Mastering the Hurricane: A Dynamic Map Condition

The centerpiece of Shrouded Sky is the Hurricane map condition, which now activates randomly across outdoor maps. Unlike earlier environmental modifiers, this storm introduces layered mechanics that actively influence nearly every gameplay system.

Relentless Winds

Wind direction becomes a core gameplay factor. Tailwinds can propel Raiders forward at extreme speed, turning escapes into rapid bursts of momentum. Conversely, headwinds drain stamina, slow movement, and make repositioning far more difficult.

Projectile physics are also affected. Grenade trajectories bend unexpectedly, smoke and gas clouds twist and disperse irregularly, and even jump distance fluctuates depending on wind direction. Players who learn to read the storm gain a tactical advantage - those who ignore it risk misplays and exposure.

Movement, once predictable, becomes situational and strategic.

Debris Assault

The hurricane weaponizes the environment. Flying rubble and dirt constantly bombard exposed Raiders, causing shields to flicker and degrade. Extended exposure can compromise defensive reliability and increase visibility to enemy players.

This introduces an unusual meta shift: running without shields in open areas can sometimes be safer, especially for stealth-oriented players. Shrouded Sky challenges long-standing assumptions about gear loadouts, encouraging flexible builds rather than static optimization.

Fog of War

Visibility is drastically reduced by low-hanging storm clouds. Familiar landmarks become difficult to navigate, and encounters frequently occur at close range.

ARC machines exploit the chaos, ambushing from the fog. Audio awareness becomes critical - players must rely on sound cues, movement patterns, and environmental intuition rather than pure visual tracking.

Stealth also evolves. Shieldless Raiders blend more effectively into the storm, creating new infiltration strategies and altering PvP detection dynamics.

Hidden Rewards: First Wave Raider Caches

The hurricane does more than create danger - it uncovers opportunity. Violent winds expose rare First Wave Raider Caches, relics from humanity's earliest attempts to survive the ARC invasion.

These caches represent high-value loot opportunities tied directly to the storm condition. Players must decide whether to chase them while visibility is low and enemies are unpredictable.

The design philosophy is clear: success comes from working with the hurricane, not fighting against it. Players who understand wind patterns, debris exposure, and fog behavior can turn chaos into profit.

New ARC Threats: Firefly and Comet

Shrouded Sky also expands the ARC roster with two new enemy types designed to synergize with storm conditions.

Firefly

Firefly is an armored aerial ARC unit that deploys sustained flame jets. Its ability to chase targets through reduced visibility makes it especially dangerous during hurricane events.

Mobility becomes the primary survival strategy. Raiders must dodge aggressively, reposition quickly, and use cover intelligently to avoid prolonged damage.

Comet

Comet presents a different threat profile. Appearing as a calm floating sphere, it detonates into a devastating seismic shockwave once it locks onto a target.

Its deceptive behavior creates psychological tension. Players must identify and neutralize it early or risk catastrophic group damage, especially in low-visibility scenarios where detection is delayed.

Together, Firefly and Comet increase unpredictability and reinforce the storm's role as a combat multiplier rather than a background effect.

Map Changes and High-Risk Zones

The Dam Battlegrounds map receives a significant update with the introduction of a new Controlled Access Zone - a fortified vault guarded by ARC forces and marked by the distinctive Rocketeer chandelier.

This zone is designed as a high-risk, high-reward destination, particularly compelling during hurricane conditions when player positioning and awareness are compromised. Rival squads, environmental hazards, and powerful AI enemies converge, creating some of the most intense encounters in the game.

The addition strengthens ARC Raiders' extraction loop by offering clear objectives that intersect with dynamic weather.

Community Event: Weather Monitoring System Project

Shrouded Sky introduces a collaborative event centered on the Weather Monitoring System Project. Players collect materials from the storm-affected surface and contribute them to Shani's predictive network.

The event blends narrative progression with community goals, encouraging collective participation rather than purely individual advancement. Rewards include exclusive cosmetics and progression incentives, reinforcing the idea that Speranza's survival depends on cooperation.

This approach reflects Embark Studios' broader live-service philosophy: world events should feel shared, evolving, and tied to player activity.

Cosmetics and the Surgeon Raider Deck

While gameplay changes dominate the update, Shrouded Sky also delivers a substantial cosmetic rollout.

The free Surgeon Raider Deck introduces a progression path focused on Cred rewards earned through Feats. The deck's theme explores dual identity through two visual styles: the meticulous Dr. Jekyll aesthetic and the brutal Mr. Hyde counterpart.

The design emphasizes precision, discipline, and calculated aggression - traits that mirror the storm's strategic demands.

Facial hair customization expands as well, adding stubble as a universal option and additional styles unlocked through progression or store purchases. New cosmetic bundles such as the Volare Set and Devotee Set provide thematic looks suited to the storm-battered world.

Cosmetics remain optional, but they contribute to player identity - an increasingly important element in extraction shooters.

A Turning Point for ARC Raiders

Shrouded Sky represents more than a content drop; it signals a design direction. By making weather a central gameplay system rather than a visual effect, Embark Studios demonstrates a commitment to evolving the Rust Belt into a living, reactive environment.

The update deepens the extraction formula in several ways:

Environmental mastery becomes a skill ceiling.

Loadout choices become situational rather than fixed.

Encounters grow less predictable.

Risk-reward loops gain new layers tied to dynamic conditions.

Importantly, the hurricane introduces variability without relying solely on new maps or weapons. This suggests a long-term strategy focused on systemic depth - a hallmark of successful live-service shooters.

Looking Ahead: Season 1 Momentum

Shrouded Sky arrives ahead of Season 1, teased in the January roadmap, and functions as both narrative escalation and mechanical preview. The storm hints at a future where large-scale world events drive seasonal storytelling.

Charge Into the Storm

Shrouded Sky transforms ARC Raiders into a harsher, more strategic experience. Every expedition now involves reading the environment, adapting tactics, and deciding whether the storm's rewards justify its danger. Once a player succeeds, they will receive generous rewards including ARC Raiders Coins, ARC Raiders Blueprints, and rare items.

The update blends atmosphere, mechanics, and narrative into a cohesive evolution of the extraction loop. New enemies increase pressure, map changes create objectives, and the hurricane itself reshapes how players move, fight, and survive.

For Raiders, the question is no longer simply what to loot - it's whether they can outsmart the storm.

MMOexp ARC Raiders Team