ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Guide: Pendola Pass, Frigate & More

ARC Raiders Frozen Trail is live. The October 8 Update 2.0 adds Pendola Pass, the Frigate, Redirection, the Fallen Emperor dungeon, Outposts, Amplified Weapons, new ARC enemies, weapons, gadgets, and Reward Passes.

Updated October 15 for Patch 2.1.0, this guide covers the live October 13–20 PvE test, Frigate and Emperor encounters, Outpost research, patch fixes, and what to do first in Frozen Trail.

TABLE OF CONTENTS ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Guide Jump to the section you're interested in: 01Frozen Trail Is Live› 02Frozen Trail Map› 03Frigate Map Condition› 04Dead Reckoning & Frigate› 05Outposts & Progression› 06Weapons & Personalization› 07New ARC Enemies› 08Reward Points & Passes› 09What to Do First› 10Update 2.0 Highlights›

ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Update Quick Overview

Frozen Trail launched as Update 2.0 on October 8, with 100 Furniture Designs, 14 Weapon Stencils, Pendola Pass, 22 new quests, and two additional Stash tiers. Update 2.1.0 arrived October 13 with the PvE toggle test and important bug fixes. Here is the current feature and patch status.

ARC Raiders Frozen Trail 2.0 Is Live Now

Frozen Trail launched on October 8, 2026. Embark calls it the game's biggest update since release. It brings a huge new map, ARC Frigate, Outposts, Amplified Weapons, reworked skills and Feats, the new Reward Pass system, quests, cosmetics, and major quality-of-life changes.

Read the developer's official Frozen Trail 2.0 patch notes for the full changelog.

Frozen Trail Launch Trailer

Embark released the Frozen Trail Launch Trailer on October 6. It follows the fallen Emperor and the Raiders' push through the Northern Route into the mountains beyond the Rust Belt.


The trailer focuses on the story. For exact numbers, skill changes, and known issues, use the live 2.0 patch notes instead of the earlier previews.

Celeste's Updated Appearance Is Live

Frozen Trail updates Celeste's appearance to more closely match actor Diana Gardner. Embark used full motion and facial capture for the launch trailer and carried the new look into the live game.

Frozen Trail Free-Play Weekend: October 8–12 (Ended)

The free-play weekend ran from October 8 at 09:00 UTC to October 12 at 08:00 UTC on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation. Free access has ended. Embark also advertised a separate 50% launch-period discount; check your platform's storefront for its current price and sale deadline.

Players new to Pendola Pass can enter it when grouped with someone who has already unlocked the map. This group-access feature is separate from the free-play promotion.

Ascending the Mountain Leads Into Pendola Pass

The September Raider Project Ascending the Mountain set up Frozen Trail's story. Shani's phantom ARC signals and Apollo's experimental mountain route now connect to Pendola Pass.

Ballistic Gondolas are operating and form part of the journey beyond the Rust Belt. Pendola Pass uses a Ballistic Gondola extraction with room for three Raiders, making the final escape especially tense when several teams arrive together. Update 2.1.0 fixed a bug that could eliminate players who were already safely inside an extracting Gondola.

Pendola Pass Is Live in Frozen Trail

Pendola Pass is an old Italian village and Exodus transport hub beyond the Rust Belt. The largest ARC Raiders map yet has a supermarket, town square, observatory, buried train depot, vertical paths, underground routes, and a fallen Emperor dominating the area.

The Fallen Emperor Is the Centerpiece

One of ARC's Emperors crashed at Pendola Pass, leaving rare technology inside its wreckage. That is why Raiders are moving into the mountains, and why ARC has sent new machines and the Frigate to the region.

Older datamines sometimes called it the Fallen Collector. The live game's official terminology is the fallen Emperor.

How to Enter the Fallen Emperor Dungeon

The crashed Emperor contains a playable dungeon inside its body, not a conventional boss fight where you shoot the machine until it dies. The entrance is at the base of the Emperor on Pendola Pass, near Piazza della Rupe, and it requires an Emperor Gateway Conduit to open.

How to Get the Emperor Gateway Conduit

One documented way to obtain the key is to play the Redirection map condition on Pendola Pass. Activate a Damaged Emperor Relay, use the beacon to call down a Harvester Payload, and search the cargo for the Blueprint and special couplers. Drops are random, and some players have also reported finding the Blueprint in other loot sources.

To craft one Emperor Gateway Conduit at Workbench Level 1, learn its Blueprint and collect:

• 1 ARC Conductive Coupler
• 1 ARC Insulated Coupler
• 1 ARC Plated Coupler

The finished Conduit is also listed as the Level 60 Premium Reward Pass reward. Check the Pass before committing to a long Blueprint farm.

Emperor Puzzles, Cache Rewards, and the Emperor Modulator

Inside, you face environmental puzzles and hazards rather than a single boss arena. Documented rooms include moving pillars, crushers, laser obstacles, electrified lifts, and Hydra turrets. Room sequences can vary, so bring healing, a movement tool such as a Snap Hook, and enough ammunition for the ARC threats. Some red cache containers explode after opening, so move away before checking the next one.

Search the dungeon caches and shoot yellow wall nodes to reveal additional loot racks. These containers can hold Amplification Modules and rare ARC resources. The Emperor Modulator is particularly valuable because it is required for Gunsmith Level 4. Loot is not guaranteed from a particular container, and you still need to survive extraction after leaving the dungeon.

Flash Freezes and Avalanche Shelters

Pendola Pass has Flash Freezes that force you to react to weather as well as enemy Raiders and ARC. You get a warning before the freeze, giving you time to enter a building or shelter.

Avalanche Shelters, also called Storm Huts by some players, provide cover and valuable loot. Storm Hut doors remain sealed until a Flash Freeze begins, and their icons only appear on the map once the weather event starts. Their locations stay in place between raids, so learning where they are is useful.

Early post-launch reports identify the Epoxy Bucket, Insulation Roll, and Radial Press among the crafting materials found inside. Some huts can also contain a Mountaineer's Detector, weapon cases, healing items, and ammunition. These are observed loot examples, not guaranteed drops, and other Raiders may be racing for the same rooms.

Dynamic Loot Zones on Pendola Pass

Embark is testing Dynamic Loot Zones on Pendola Pass. The value of some areas can rise or fall between raids, making fixed farming routes less predictable.

The loot category stays the same. Residential zones still contain Residential-type loot, but one Residential area may be more rewarding in one run than another. Adapt your route to the raid instead of blindly following one loop.

Redirection Is a New Map Condition

The Redirection condition lets players activate a Transmitter and draw valuable Harvester Payloads toward a location on Pendola Pass. This can attract both ARC and enemy Raiders, so clear the area and prepare to defend the drop.

You can check active and upcoming Frigate and Redirection windows on Embark's official map-condition schedule.

Raiding and Extracting From Pendola Pass

Use indoor areas and shelters when a Flash Freeze is close, bring mobility tools for steep terrain, and do not count on every good loot spot having the same value next run. When leaving, plan around the Ballistic Gondola capacity instead of assuming everyone can extract together. Patch 2.1.0 increased the Gondola marker visibility range from 120 m to 175 m, making extraction points easier to locate.

If you want guided runs or help farming the new map, our ARC Raiders Raid Boosting service now lists Pendola Pass and Frigate in its raid selector. Choose the map or encounter and the number of runs you need.

Frigate Is Live as a New Map Condition

The ARC Frigate is one of Frozen Trail's two new map conditions and one of its toughest PvPvE encounters. This giant airborne vessel can appear over different outdoor maps. It is not exclusive to Pendola Pass.

See our dedicated ARC Raiders Frigate Guide for the boarding route, objectives, enemies, loot, and escape tips.

How to Board the Frigate

Players have now confirmed a way aboard: find one of the circular Reclaimer drones below the ship, climb onto it, disrupt it, and ride it back toward the Frigate. From there, move onto the hull and find an entrance.

Inside, interact with switches and shoot yellow nodes to open routes or deploy platforms. Bring ammunition, healing supplies, and movement tools. The Boarding the Frigate quest requires you to deal damage to a Rocketeer, Vaporizer, and Hydra; you do not need the final blow on each target. Players have documented the full Power Core and Cargo platform route, which we cover step by step in the dedicated Frigate walkthrough.

Frigate Enemies, Loot, and Known Risks

Expect Rocketeers, Vaporizers, Hydra turrets, smaller ARC, and rival Raiders. Work through the reactor and Cargo platform objectives to reach valuable research items and Amplification-related materials. The Frigate remains PvPvE-only during the October 13–20 PvE test.

New in Patch 2.1.0: Frigate hatches now inflict burning damage over time when they open, so keep clear of them during activation. Embark also adjusted the Cargo drop to prevent unintended knockouts and improved Cargo collision. The older warning that the platform edge can instantly eliminate you is no longer a confirmed current bug. Hydra firing through Cargo walls without dealing damage was not specifically addressed in this patch.

What Happened to the Dead Reckoning Name?

Before launch, Dead Reckoning appeared in datamined material alongside the Frigate. Embark does not use that name in the live Update 2.0 notes.

The official event name is ARC Frigate, and it is a Map Condition. Dead Reckoning is best treated as an unconfirmed development name rather than a second confirmed raid.

Bully, Skulker, and Hydra Are Live

Frozen Trail introduces three new ARC enemies: Bully, Skulker, and Hydra. Each threatens Raiders in a different way. Knowing their behavior is especially helpful for the new quests and high-level hunts.

Bully

The Bully is an aggressive machine that charges your position and keeps pushing forward. Its attack works like a shotgun, so maintaining distance and breaking line of sight can limit the damage you take.

Skulker

The Skulker is faster and more opportunistic. It attacks from blind spots, pulls back when you lose track of it, and punishes players who focus on a different target. It is less durable than Bully, so you do not always need endgame weapons to deal with one.

Hydra

The Hydra is a three-section turret with independently rotating weapons that cover multiple angles at once. It appears around the fallen Emperor and aboard the Frigate, where tight rooms can make it especially hard to avoid.


Older leaked machine names such as Kebab and Tarragon are not the official names for the live enemies. Use Bully, Skulker, and Hydra when looking up encounters, quests, or enemy-hunt services.

How the Outpost Works in Frozen Trail

The Outpost is a new extension of the Raider Den and a long-term progression system. It is not unlocked automatically. You must complete its associated Project before you can use the new base.

Our ARC Raiders Outpost Guide explains its Project, modules, furniture, Research Bench (Research Workstation), and upgrade priorities.

How to Unlock the Outpost

Start with Research Topside Living Conditions. You need to accept the quest and photograph a farmland house, so bring a Camera before heading Topside.

A Camera can be bought from Shani, crafted at the Workbench, or found during raids. Completing the full Outpost Project unlocks access to the base and the Research Workstation, also called the Research Bench in the official patch notes.

Outpost Modules and Furniture Designs

You can expand the Outpost with modules and decorate it with crafted furniture. Frozen Trail adds 100 Furniture Designs that work like Blueprints. Learn the Design, then collect the materials to craft its matching furniture.

Embark confirms all four sources for the 100 Furniture Designs:

• 73 Furniture Designs found Topside
• 22 Furniture Designs unlocked by upgrading the Outpost
• 4 Furniture Designs exclusive to the Frozen Trail Pass
• 1 Furniture Design exclusive to the Collector Set DLC

That means Outpost upgrades unlock furniture as well as modules and research progression. You do not need to find all 100 Designs as random loot.

Outpost storage tip: Compatible shelves and weapon racks can hold items outside your regular Stash, providing extra space for guns and eligible miscellaneous loot. Full stacks can be placed on supported furniture, and the Clear All Attached Items action returns displayed items to your Stash. See our Outpost Guide for storage capacities and room planning.

Can You Walk Around the Outpost?

At launch, the Outpost is a menu-based personal space rather than a freely walkable 3D base. You can add modules, decorate rooms, use the Research Workstation, and work toward higher-tier weapon upgrades, but you cannot explore it like a separate playable map.

Outpost Research and Workshop Leveling Are Different

The Outpost does not replace your regular Workshop. The Research Workstation belongs to the new Outpost system, while standard crafting stations remain part of your Raider Den Workshop.

Your existing Gunsmith, Gear Bench, Medical Lab, Explosives Station, Utility Station, Refiner, and Scrappy still have their own progression. Upgrade those benches for everyday crafting, equipment, and resources. For the new Outpost Research Bench, use the separate Outpost progression path and its corresponding boosting option.

Skill Tree, Quests, and Reward Progression in Update 2.0

Frozen Trail changes several progression systems at once: the Skill Tree, 22 new quests, quest XP, Reward Points, Feats, the Outpost Research Workstation, and Amplified Weapons. Make sure you understand the new choices before spending resources or Skill Points.

The Skill Tree Now Forces More Build Choices

The Skill Tree has been reshuffled with new and reworked skills. In the middle of each branch, the old large nodes have become a choice between two skills. You can choose only one until you reset your tree.

At the end of each branch, two nodes offer choices from three skills. You can choose up to two of the three after meeting the required Skill Point investment. Resetting the Skill Tree lets you change your selections.

The update also boosts several older skills, including more stamina from Fight or Flight, better Stubborn Mule stamina regeneration, and stronger Back on Your Feet healing. Patch 2.1.0 fixed Broad Shoulders not activating correctly on spawn, Field Repair and Field Salvaging issues after unlocking, and an exploit that bypassed the Sprinting on Fumes penalty. Stamina-restoring consumables can no longer be used during that cooldown.

22 New Quests and Better Quest XP

Update 2.0 adds 22 new quests. Completing quests and individual quest objectives now awards XP, which is shown in quest descriptions and on completion.

One newly documented route is Clean Hands on Pendola Pass: search the Nomad Camp under the Railyard for the Equatorial Sundial, take it to the top of the church tower in Old Town, then extract. Use your secure pocket where possible when carrying quest items, and check the in-game quest tracker for the exact stage.

Older photo-related quests also now use the new Camera system. This includes The League, Reduced to Rubble, Life of a Pharmacist, Battening Down, and Groundbreaking. Update 2.1.0 also fixed the Picking Up the Pieces objective on Pendola Pass, where visiting marked loot areas sometimes failed to count.

Reward Points Replace Cred

Cred has been removed and replaced by Reward Points (RP). Your RP automatically goes toward whichever Reward Pass is active when you earn it.

The Frozen Trail Pass contains 60 levels with Free and Premium tracks. Old Raider Deck rewards now sit in the Legacy Pass, and previously claimed rewards are preserved. Only one Pass is active at a time, so select the one you want to level before working through Feats.

Read our ARC Raiders Reward Pass Guide for Free and Premium reward details.

Exact Feat and Weekly Milestone Rewards

Frozen Trail divides Feats into three difficulties:

• Easy: 15 Reward Points and +1 weekly milestone progress
• Medium: 25 Reward Points and +2 weekly milestone progress
• Hard: 50 Reward Points and +3 weekly milestone progress

Weekly milestones unlock at 4, 8, and 12 progress. Each pays 250 RP, giving you up to 750 bonus RP per week before counting the RP earned directly from the Feats.

Once you have cleared all three milestones, you can keep completing Feats for their standard RP. The extra 250-RP milestone rewards return after the weekly reset.

Fixed October 13: Patch 2.1.0 corrected Reward Pass progression and stopped the end-of-round screen from counting milestone progress earned in previous raids. It also fixed Pass tiles overstating completed levels and now displays the active Pass name on its details screen. The old progression bug should no longer be presented as an unresolved launch issue.

Collector Set DLC Is Available Now

The optional Frozen Trail Collector Set includes Premium Reward Pass access, the Renzo cosmetic set, Dragon's Breath Weapon Stencil, Bob hairstyle, 2,400 Raider Tokens, an exclusive Retro Sofa for the Outpost, and the only blueprint for the new Banjo instrument.

If you also want to increase your Raider level, our ARC Raiders Level Boosting service lets you target your account's next level milestone.

New Weapons, Amplification, and Weapon Stencils

Frozen Trail adds two guns, the Stiletto and Bantam, and introduces Amplified Weapons as a fifth weapon quality tier for 15 existing weapons.

Amplified Weapons

Through the Outpost Research Workstation, players can unlock branching upgrades that change the behavior of supported guns. These are more than simple damage increases. Depending on the weapon, branches can change fire modes, optics, magazine capacity, and ammunition effects.

Embark's examples include a fully automatic Burletta, a scoped Renegade, and a Rattler with incendiary rounds and a 64-round magazine. See our ARC Raiders Amplified Weapons Guide for more detail.

Amplified Weapons looted from another player still drop to 10 durability, limiting how easily PvP can bypass the intended research progression.

Stiletto

The Stiletto is a light-ammo battle rifle and an accessible alternative to the Renegade. It is inexpensive to craft but rewards steady, controlled shots because accuracy falls when firing too quickly.

Bantam

The Bantam is a heavy-ammo snub-nosed revolver. It fills the uncommon hand-cannon role after Update 2.0 moved the Anvil from Green to Blue rarity.

Anvil and Anvil Splitter Changes

The Anvil is now Blue rarity. Anvil Splitter is no longer a normal mod and has become an upgrade path for the Amplified Anvil. Existing Anvil Splitters can be sold or recycled into Amplified Fragments used to repair Amplified Weapons.

14 Weapon Stencils Are in the Game

Weapon Stencils let you apply cosmetic patterns to compatible weapons. Once learned, the pattern remains unlocked even when you lose the physical weapon.

The 14 new Stencils come from these sources:

• 5 Stencils exclusive to the Frozen Trail Premium Pass
• 1 Stencil exclusive to the Collector Set DLC
• 8 Stencils found Topside

Applying a Stencil requires Stencil Parts, which can be found during raids. In Update 2.1.0, equipped Stencils show their rarity in weapon tooltips, and the customization screen marks newly acquired Stencils more clearly.

New Gadgets, Cameras, Instruments, and Movement Tools

Frozen Trail adds the Grappling Hook, Basic Camera, Advanced Camera, Tether Launcher, Yank Grenade, Mountaineer's Detector, Banjo, and Harmonica. Some are useful in raids, while others support quests or social play.

Grappling Hook

The Grappling Hook opens new routes by letting you climb difficult terrain, descend from structures, and swing across gaps. The Snap Hook now has a clearer role as a short-burst movement tool.

Update 2.0 also nerfs the Snap Hook. Its range drops from 20 m to 18 m, durability used per activation rises from 2% to 4%, and its power cost rises from 50 to 60.

October 13 Grappling Hook improvements: Update 2.1.0 made it easier to climb onto ledges and roofs, especially on Pendola Pass, and improved auto-vaulting at the top of rope climbs. It also fixed the Grappling Hook detaching from fast-moving Ballistic Gondolas and corrected some interactions with lightweight objects and zero-durability hooks.

Tether Launcher and Yank Grenade

The Tether Launcher connects targets or surfaces with a wire and can interfere with movement. The Yank Grenade creates a strong pulling effect, which can pull Raiders away from cover or bring some airborne threats closer to the ground.

Known issue: The Tether Launcher cannot be repaired in the launch build. Embark plans to fix this in a later update.

Mountaineer's Detector

The Mountaineer's Detector is another new item in the final Frozen Trail loot pool. It was less prominent in the early preview, but its addition is confirmed by the live patch notes.

Basic and Advanced Cameras Are Live

Frozen Trail includes Basic and Advanced Cameras, supporting zoom, aperture, manual and automatic focus, selfie mode, and photos saved in the Codex.

Cameras are part of Outpost progression. The opening Research Topside Living Conditions objective requires you to photograph a farmland house. You can buy a Camera from Shani, craft one at the Workbench, or find one Topside.

Older photo quests such as The League, Reduced to Rubble, Life of a Pharmacist, Battening Down, and Groundbreaking also use the Camera system.

Banjo and Harmonica

Both the Banjo and Harmonica are available as social instruments. The Banjo Blueprint is exclusive to the Collector Set DLC.

ARC Raiders PvE Matchmaking Test Is Live: October 13–20

The PvE matchmaking toggle is live as part of Update 2.1.0. Embark's one-week test runs from October 13 at 11:00 CEST to October 20 at 11:00 CEST, 2026. You can choose PvE or the normal PvPvE queue between raids, but this is a limited experiment, not a confirmed permanent mode.

How PvE Matchmaking Works

In PvE sessions, players cannot deal damage to other players. Stun and fire throwables do not affect other players either, while physical interaction tools such as barricades and ziplines still work. ARC remains dangerous, and the test is intended for exploration, quests, looting, and fighting machines together.

PvE sessions do not prioritize keeping solo, duo, and trio groups separate, so mixed squad sizes can encounter one another. PvE participation does not affect your normal PvPvE matchmaking rating. PvE has lower overall loot value, while regular PvPvE receives slightly higher baseline loot during the test.

Which Map Conditions Are Excluded From PvE?

Five major conditions remain exclusive to PvPvE during the test:

• Night Raid
• Locked Gate
• Hidden Bunker
• ARC Frigate
• Redirection

This means you cannot choose the PvE queue for the new Frigate or Redirection conditions. The regular PvPvE queue remains available for those encounters.

Can ARC Attack You After You Are Downed in PvE?

Yes. There is an eight-second grace period after an ARC downs you. After that, ARC can acquire you again if you move while downed. Staying still can help you avoid attracting further attacks while waiting for a revive.

Embark warns that matchmaking times may vary in quieter regions and plans to review player feedback after the October 20 test ends. For the full rules, read the official PvE Toggle Beta Test announcement.

Other Important Frozen Trail 2.0 Changes

Several smaller gameplay updates will affect normal raids straight away:

• Stash capacity: two new tiers increase the base maximum to 328 slots before Expedition or Nomadic Envoy bonuses
• Solo vs. Squads: removed from matchmaking while Embark re-evaluates the mode
• Scrambling: sprinting at steep slopes allows a short upward scramble
• Heavy Shield: durability decay reduced and movement penalty changed from 15% to 10%
• Explosives: stronger against ARC armor plates but weaker against some fragile weak points
• Riven Tides: overall loot value increased by roughly 15%
• Map screen: redesigned with visual and usability updates; you can now open your map while downed
• Inventory: items can be dropped directly from loot containers
• Stealth: backpacks with light sources now have an emissive toggle
• AMD FSR: upgraded to version 4.1.1

Twitch Drops Run Until November 4

The Frozen Trail Twitch Drops campaign runs from October 8 through November 4. Watch an eligible ARC Raiders stream for 60 minutes to earn the Oxygen Respirator backpack attachment, or 120 minutes to unlock the Mailbox attachment.

Anti-Cheat and Matchmaking Changes in the Frozen Trail Period

Embark's September 30 anti-cheat update remains relevant. Permanent bans are now standard for accounts found using known cheat software, alongside expanded license restrictions, linked-account enforcement, and hardware bans.

Embark also started isolating known pre-arranged teaming groups. In its early report, it said this behavior dropped by 85% and affected raids fell from about one in 50 to one in 300.

This targets players who coordinate before matchmaking to enter the same solo lobby. Working with someone you meet naturally through proximity chat during a raid remains allowed.

Player Trading Did Not Launch With Frozen Trail

Older datamined files mentioned trading systems connected to Speranza Piazza, but player-to-player trading is not a confirmed Frozen Trail 2.0 feature.

That does not mean trading was cancelled. Embark has not announced a release date, so do not include it in a list of live 2.0 mechanics.

Clans Did Not Launch With Frozen Trail

A Clan system was also found in older datamined files, including tags for Quests, PvP, PvE, and Any playstyles. Clans are not included in Frozen Trail 2.0 and have no official release timetable.

Which Other Datamined Features Did Not Launch?

These older datamined ideas do not appear in the official 2.0 feature list and should be treated as unconfirmed future content:

• Toxic Swamp map condition
• Acid Rain
• Heat Wave
• The Queens multi-Queen condition
• Repair Extractions
• Scrappy Tier 5–7
• Tier 4 Augments such as Raider Mk. 4 variants
• Old weapon names such as Stanza and Malleus

Any of these could appear later, but the Frozen Trail patch notes do not verify them as imminent.

Expeditions Are Paused and Trials Season 6 Is Live

The fifth Expedition departed on September 29. Expeditions are paused while Embark works on broader changes to the system, with the next Expedition expected in early 2027.

Existing consecutive Expedition buffs remain active during the pause. Unfinished Caravans are compensated with Ermal Vouchers based on the resources contributed, rather than simply losing that value.

Trials Season 6: Frozen Trials

Trials Season 6 started on October 8. Embark lists the Maestro Outfit as its headline reward, with additional color variations at Hotshot and Cantina Legend, alongside cosmetics such as the Sheriff Badge, Infrared Transmitter, Pumped Dance emote, and Scrappy Pop Helmet. New challenges involve Bully and Skulker encounters and Pendola Pass objectives.

For seasonal progress or leaderboard placement, our ARC Raiders Trials Boosting service covers eligible Trials progression.

What to Do First After Installing Frozen Trail

Because Update 2.0 is live, a pre-launch checklist is no longer useful. These are the first things worth doing if you want to progress efficiently.

1. Select Your Active Reward Pass

Your Reward Points now go automatically to the active Reward Pass. Choose between the 60-level Frozen Trail Pass and the Legacy Pass before collecting RP from Feats and weekly milestones. Quests and quest objectives also award XP, which is a different progression reward.

2. Start the Outpost Project and Bring a Camera

Accept the Outpost Project and begin Research Topside Living Conditions. You need a photo of a farmland house. Buy a Camera from Shani, craft one, or find one Topside so you do not waste the trip.

If the Outpost is already unlocked, focus on Research Workstation upgrades to work toward the Amplified Weapons system.

3. Complete Weekly Feat Milestones

Easy, Medium, and Hard Feats grant 15, 25, and 50 RP. Each weekly milestone adds another 250 RP at 4, 8, and 12 progress. These three bonuses are worth collecting before the weekly reset.

4. Upgrade Your Stash

Two extra Stash tiers increase the base cap to 328 slots. That space is useful when storing new weapons, gadgets, Furniture Designs, Stencil Parts, and materials needed for Outpost and Amplified Weapon upgrades. Once your Outpost is unlocked, use compatible weapon racks and shelves for additional storage outside the regular Stash cap.

5. Scout Pendola Pass and Its Dynamic Loot

Learn safe paths to cover, Storm Huts, high-value areas, and Ballistic Gondolas. During Flash Freeze, check the map for newly opened Storm Hut icons. They are worth visiting for a chance at Outpost crafting materials such as Epoxy Buckets, Insulation Rolls, and Radial Presses.

Dynamic Loot Zones mean the most profitable areas can change between runs, so do not follow only one fixed loot route. Shelter loot is not guaranteed, and high-value rooms can attract competing Raiders.

6. Farm the Fallen Emperor, New ARC Targets, and Frigate

The Fallen Emperor offers dungeon caches and a chance at the Emperor Modulator needed for Gunsmith Level 4. Prepare an Emperor Gateway Conduit before entering. For the Frigate, learn the Reclaimer drone boarding method and the Power Core route to its Cargo platform.

Bully, Skulker, and Hydra are also important for quests and materials. Use Boss Kills & Enemy Hunts for specific ARC targets, Emperor Boost for the crashed Emperor's dungeon, or Frigate Boost for the airborne vessel. General Raid Boosting still covers map runs.

7. Collect Furniture Designs and Stencil Parts

Frozen Trail includes 100 Furniture Designs and 14 Stencils. Collect Topside Designs and Stencil Parts during normal raids if you want Outpost customization and weapon cosmetics.

8. Help New Squadmates Reach Pendola Pass

Players who have unlocked Pendola Pass can group with friends who have not unlocked it yet and bring them into the new map. Plan a few guided runs to learn the Flash Freeze warnings, Storm Hut locations, and Ballistic Gondola extraction route.

9. Try the PvE Toggle Before October 20

If you prefer quieter exploration or want to finish regular quests without PvP damage, try the limited October 13–20 PvE test. Remember that loot value is lower and Frigate and Redirection are excluded. The test ends at 11:00 CEST on October 20 unless Embark announces a change.

ARC Raiders Frozen Trail 2.0 Full Highlights

These are the major additions and changes confirmed for the launch build:

• Pendola Pass as the new map, with Flash Freezes and Ballistic Gondolas
• Dynamic Loot Zones being tested on Pendola Pass
• Frigate and Redirection as new Map Conditions
• Fallen Emperor dungeon in Pendola Pass, opened with an Emperor Gateway Conduit
• Bully, Skulker, and Hydra as new ARC enemies
• Stiletto and Bantam as new weapons
• Amplified Weapons with fifth-tier branching upgrades for 15 weapons
• Revamped Skill Tree with choices between skills
• Outpost unlockable through a Project
• Research Workstation for higher-level research and weapon amplification
• 100 Furniture Designs for Outpost crafting and decoration
• 14 Weapon Stencils
• 22 new quests, with XP from quest objectives
• Reward Points replacing Cred
• 60-level Frozen Trail Reward Pass and the Legacy Pass
• Reworked Easy, Medium, and Hard Feats
• Three weekly milestones worth 250 Reward Points each
• Grappling Hook
• Basic and Advanced Cameras
• Tether Launcher and Yank Grenade
• Mountaineer's Detector
• Banjo and Harmonica
• Two new Stash upgrade tiers, raising the base cap to 328
• Updated Map Selection screen and default controller layout
• Frozen Trail Collector Set DLC
• Trials Season 6
• Twitch Drops through November 4
• Updated Celeste appearance
• AMD FSR 4.1.1 and numerous gameplay, UI, audio, and stability fixes

ARC Raiders Update 2.1.0: October 13 Patch Notes

Update 2.1.0 launched October 13, 2026 alongside the PvE matchmaking beta test and Carrion Set. This update focuses on fixing Frozen Trail launch bugs and improving Frigate, Pendola Pass, progression, and movement. Read Embark's official Update 2.1.0 patch notes for the complete list.

Important Changes in Patch 2.1.0

• Reward Pass: fixed incorrect progression, repeated milestone counts, overstated completed levels, and several UI issues
• Frigate: opening hatches now deal burning damage over time; Cargo platform knockouts and collision issues were addressed; round spawns improved
• Fallen Emperor: fixed unintended throwable interactions with certain doors inside the encounter
• Pendola Pass: fixed extraction eliminations inside Gondolas, improved rocky traversal and Railyard climbing, and corrected numerous gaps and collision issues
• Grappling Hook: improved auto-vaulting and Gondola attachments and fixed hook behavior on some lightweight objects
• Outpost: fixed Customization focus, decorating room resets, and completed recipes remaining tracked; added orange project-completion indicator
• Quests: fixed the Picking Up the Pieces objective on Pendola Pass and quest progress bars in Speranza
• Skill Tree: fixed Broad Shoulders, Field Repair, and Field Salvaging issues; restored Sprinting on Fumes limitations
• Amplified Weapons: Mobile-Fire Grip Fittings research now uses Skulker Targeters rather than Skulker Drivers; Semi-Auto Hairpin headshots now receive the intended damage reduction
• Quality of life: Gondola marker visibility increased from 120 m to 175 m; new Stencil indicators and clearer Amplification unlock paths

These are fixes and adjustments, not an additional map or weapon drop. Core Frozen Trail features introduced on October 8 remain available.

ARC Raiders Hotfix 2.0.2: October 9 Fixes

The earlier October 9 Hotfix 2.0.2 fixed partially invisible weapon meshes, missing weapon models in the inventory, several server crashes, a Pendola Pass grate that could trap players, and DLC bundle purchase errors.

It did not resolve the Reward Pass progression issue at the time. That bug was subsequently addressed in Update 2.1.0 on October 13.

Remaining Known Issues After Update 2.1.0

Embark's October 13 notes resolved several major launch problems, but they did not specifically announce fixes for every previously reported issue. Treat the following as cautions rather than proof that each bug still affects every player:

• Tether Launcher: the earlier inability to repair it was not listed as fixed in 2.1.0
• Hydra on the Frigate: the reported behavior of detecting and firing through Cargo walls without dealing damage was not explicitly addressed
• Outpost furniture: some clipping and blocked furniture-slot problems were not specifically mentioned in the new fixes; the separate camera focus and room-reset bugs were fixed
• Premium Pass display: 2.1.0 corrected an incorrect Premium icon on certain buttons, but the notes do not explicitly say every previously reported purchased-Premium lock icon issue is fixed
• Non-English keybinds: the earlier report of some bindings resetting after raids was not specifically mentioned in 2.1.0

Do not rely on the old bug list: incorrect Reward Pass progress, Picking Up the Pieces on Pendola Pass, accidental Frigate Cargo drop knockouts, and Gondola extraction eliminations are all addressed in the October 13 patch. Embark also fixed several map collision issues, though its notes do not claim that every possible stuck spot is gone.


Frozen Trail is fully live, with Pendola Pass, the Fallen Emperor dungeon, Frigate, Outposts, Amplified Weapons, Reward Points, new gadgets, and expanded progression systems. Prioritize safe routes, weekly RP milestones, Outpost research, and the now-documented Emperor and Frigate puzzles.

Update 2.1.0 has fixed several major launch issues and introduced the limited October 13–20 PvE test. Watch for the test's results after October 20 and further verified changes to ARC enemies, research materials, and Frigate rewards.