ARC Raiders Hands-On: Frozen Trail Adds Pendra Pass And Flash Freeze
Frozen Trail adds a hazard that strips player control over when a run ends, turning shelter locations into a resource the way ammo and extraction points already are.
Key Facts
- ARC Raiders update Frozen Trail releases on October 8, 2026, from Embark Studios.
- Frozen Trail adds the snow map Pendra Pass, which includes a crashed giant ARC called Emperor, a supermarket, and a rail junction.
- Flash Freeze is a localized blizzard that drains HP outdoors and lasts about 3 minutes.
- The Ballistic Gondola extracts up to 3 players and lands 100 to 150 meters from the transceiver used to call it.
- A PvE matchmaking test runs from October 13 to October 20, with a free play period from October 8 to October 12.
Reporting from 4 sources: GAME Watch (Impress), 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer, Game Spark.
Embark Studios releases ARC Raiders update Frozen Trail on October 8, 2026, adding the snow-covered map Pendra Pass. The map sits in the northern Rust Belt and holds a supermarket, a huge station, a crashed giant ARC called Emperor, and a rail junction. Localized blizzards trigger Flash Freeze, which drains HP outdoors and turns vision white, so Raiders must shelter in buildings. New ARC include Bree, a large enemy that fires homing projectiles scattering grenades, and Skulker, a small ground unit that fires from range and repositions for line of sight. The update adds the Grapple Hook, a reusable gadget for climbing to rooftops and crossing gaps, and the Tether Launcher, which pins flying ARC to the ground for a short time. Weapons include the Stiletto battle rifle and the Bantam hand cannon. Extraction runs through the Ballistic Gondola, which carries three players.
Flash Freeze lasts three minutes and is tracked on screen, with the blizzard visibly intensifying before it hits. Its damage is heavy enough that a solo Raider can be forced indoors mid-fight, and the report describes wandering a whiteout asking "Where is a building?" while HP drains.
- Pendra Pass landmarks: a supermarket, a huge station, Armatella Station, an observatory, a deep space telescope, an old town, and a railway junction.
- Reaper-scale ARC Bree fires homing projectiles that scatter grenades, which can rain in through window and ceiling gaps.
- Skulker is a small ground ARC that repositions for a clear firing line and blends into the snow, so multiple can flank unnoticed.
- Grapple Hook climbs walls and crosses gaps, and can be thrown at ARC to hang from flyers or obstruct ground units.
- Tether Launcher pins flying ARC to the ground, but the reported hold time felt short.
- Stiletto is an accurate semi-automatic rifle with weak ARC armor penetration; Bantam is a double-action hand cannon that cannot take a suppressor.
- Weapon upgrade tier four adds full-auto conversion for the Beretta and a long-range scope for the Renegade.
- Emperor Beacon placement triggers debris first, then a payload, with a loud siren on gondola request.
- Camera filters, flash, selfie mode, focus, and a banjo were also playable.
A PvE matchmaking test runs October 13 to 20, and free play runs October 8 to 12 across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- GAME Watch (Impress) 「瞬間凍結」がクセものすぎる。「ARC Raiders」大型アップデート「凍った道」先行体験レポート
- 4Gamer.net 「ARC Raiders」大型アップデート「Frozen Trail」先行インプレッション。吹雪が荒れ狂うペンドラ・パスは，やはり危険がいっぱいだった
- Denfaminicogamer レイダー復帰するなら今！ 『ARC Raiders』はマッチング改善にPvE、そして大型アプデ「Frozen Trail」で冬が到来。凍える世界の殺意は相変わらずだけど、遊び心地は確実に“温かく”なっていた
- Game Spark 『ARC Raiders』新マップ「ペンドラ峠」を先行体験。雪原、巨大ARC、3人乗りゴンドラが生む新たな脱出劇