Arc Raiders' big winter update is coming next week, Embark teases new temperature mechanic

We've known for some time that Arc Raiders' "Cold Snap" winter event was on the horizon, but now exactly when it's happening. According to an Embark X post, the Cold Snap update arrives Tuesday, December 16.

According to Embark's official Arc Raiders roadmap, the Cold Snap update brings a new map condition called snowfall, the "Flickering Flames" event, a new raider deck (basically a battle pass), and new quests.

Players have speculated about what exactly the snowfall map condition will entail (is it just the same maps but with snow?), but a teaser image shared by Embark today of a collapsed raider in the snow suggests the extreme temperatures will carry consequences. It looks like players might have to limit their exposure to the elements to avoid freezing to death, or perhaps toss an incendiary grenade to warm up.

That's the most obvious way to make heat a factor of survival, but I wonder if Embark would go even further—what if wearing warmer clothes, like a fur jacket, increased your heat resistance? That'd instantly plunge Arc Raiders into the realm of pay-to-win cosmetics, so consider it unlikely, but it would be an interesting wrinkle.

This is probably the closest Arc Raiders will come to a "holiday" event—fitting for a grim post-apocalypse. It's also notable that Cold Snap marks the end of Arc Raiders' current roadmap. How the most exciting multiplayer shooter of the moment will evolve in 2026 is a mystery.