Arc Raiders' New Battle Pass: Pay $10, Earn More Back

Ever wished a battle pass would pay for itself? Arc Raiders is about to make that happen. When the Frozen Trail update drops on October 8, it brings a new Reward Pass system that replaces the old Raider Decks. The update is free, but the new pass has a premium track that costs 1,150 Raider Tokens—about $10. However, if you complete it, you'll earn back 1,350 Raider Tokens. That's 200 more than you put in, meaning the pass literally pays for itself.

The best part? The Premium Pass only offers cosmetic items. All gameplay-altering stuff—new weapons, gear, and more—comes from the Free Pass, which every owner gets. So there's zero pay-to-win nonsense here. Embark Studios is clearly listening to players and keeping things fair.

But Frozen Trail is way more than just a new pass. It adds the frosty Pendola Pass map, which is being called the most challenging map yet. You'll also face new Arc threats: the Bully, Skulker, and Hydra. The Hydra is a beast that can down multiple players and even respawn after you defeat it, so bring your A-game.

There's also a new airborne carrier called the Frigate, which functions as a raid-like event designed to take several players most of a round to overcome through combat and puzzles. And yes, the Hydra awaits aboard. Weapon amplification lets you customize your guns in new ways, while stencils act like weapon skins. Plus, you'll get new items like the banjo, harmonica, camera, and a grappling hook that's sure to become a community favorite.

Other additions include more quests with optional objectives for extra rewards, overhauled skill trees, and Outposts—customizable areas for raiders to call their own. An explorable Speranza isn't coming with this update, but Embark's Aleksander Grondal says it's something they're looking into. "We see the need for a place to socialize and kind of hang out between the raids," he said. "But we really haven't settled on exactly how we want to execute against that need yet."

Grondal also opened up about the team's feelings on the big update. "It almost feels like we're shipping the game again," he said. "It becomes almost scarier in a way because the updates are larger and more complicated to execute." Still, he added that the team is happy and excited to share what they've been working on since May.

Frozen Trail launches on October 8 as a free update on all platforms. There's also a Collector Set bundle that includes a new outfit, weapon stencil, hairstyle, and 2,400 Raider Tokens, plus instant access to the Premium Pass. Will you be grabbing the Premium Pass or sticking with the free track? Let us know in the comments!