ARC Raiders is ditching frequent updates for bigger ones and it could be for the best

We're approaching ARC Raiders' first anniversary, and it's fair to say Embark Studios' third-person extraction shooter has faced a baptism of fire. Whether it's gameplay balance nerfs, a controversial use of generative AI, or announcing seemingly massive overhauls just weeks ahead of them being implemented, ARC Raiders leaves many feeling like they've been burned before.

When it comes to ARC Raiders' most divisive decision, it's hard to forget accusations that the Riven Tides update exponentially inflated the resource grind and made mid-tier weapons unusable for casual matches.

Riven Tides was so hated that it pushed the title's Steam reviews down to 'mixed'. Can the upcoming Frozen Trails update do any better when it releases on October 8?

Although devs at Embark have pledged 'years' of support and continued updates, they’ll soon be spread out, as we're left hungry for more instead of full to bursting when it comes to content.

ARC Raiders' Frozen Trails is doing things differently

Embark Studios

On the official ARC Raiders blog, executive producer Aleksander Grøndal confirmed the company was sticking to its revamped strategy to deliver larger updates on a biannual schedule. Grøndal acknowledged, "We know that means longer stretches between major releases, and we appreciate everyone who has stuck with us while we’ve continued to ship new content like projects, events, a new Trader, and ongoing improvements based on your feedback!"

Hyping Frozen Trails as the 'biggest' yet, the heart of the update is a new snow-capped map at the edge of the Rust Belt. User-based feedback has supposedly been used to craft the perfect map, while the level design team has been challenged in new ways.

With this, we're promised greater verticality and exploration, with new threats from both above and below ground.

Consider our interest piqued.

Elsewhere, there's a new high-level challenge introduced via an enormous new ARC Operation. Aimed at experienced Raiders, this emphasises "meaningful decisions, dynamic encounters, and moments that demand cooperation and careful judgment."

Embark also reiterated that it's looking at what it means to be a Raider as Frozen Trails deepens progression.

With Raider Dens expanding, players will have more ways to craft their journey and build toward long-term goals by inhabiting a new space called the Outpost.

This comes alongside adjustments to the Skill Tree to hopefully offer more agency over the kind of Raider you want to become, and finally, Raider Decks are supposed to be more engaging and rewarding.

READ MORE: Players go wild for free Game Pass extraction fantasy title that combines Elden Ring and ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders players split by update overhaul

If all of the above wasn't enough, Grøndal vowed to keep working on new weapons and customisation, gadgets, cosmetics...and more.

Getting down to the important stuff, the devs say they'll continue tinkering with matchmaking and anti-cheat, as well as general stability and quality-of-life updates.

While it's clear Embark is determined to try and turn ARC Raiders' fortunes around, the game's critical fandom won’t stay quiet. When news of the Frozen Trail update was shared on Reddit, one sceptic complained: "I am not convinced Embark understands just how much of a 'progression overhaul' is truly needed. There needs to be immense depth added to the game to reclaim all those players who left."

Another grumbled elsewhere: "As someone with 400+ hours in the first few months, this update has to be amazing, AND the cheating problem has to be fixed. If they continue to use automated systems and don’t dedicate manual reviews, no improvement will be made unfortunately."

Others were more optimistic, as someone concluded: "Hope they knock it out of the park with this; it’s kind of their last chance. Everyone I know and used to watch agrees they had lightning in a bottle and just seemed to give up; it was truly bizarre decision-making.

"I’m hyped myself. First game in a decade to make me feel a certain way again. Will always have a special place in my heart because of that."

ARC Raiders still has a special place in many people's hearts, but dipping from a concurrent player count peak of 465,097 in December 2025, a current 24-hour average of just 28,887 suggests there's a lot of work to be done.