Arc Raiders' Frozen Trail Update Adds Raid-Style Fun

Ever found yourself on top of a flying fortress, battling a swarm of robots with 15 other players? That's exactly what Arc Raiders' new Frozen Trail update delivers. The Frigate is one of two new raid-style activities, and it's a game-changer.

The Frigate throws you into a chaotic battle against flying robots armed with rockets and lasers. You'll fight deeper into the ship, unlocking platforms, defeating waves of enemies, and taking down giant turrets that pop out of the deck. It's not just about shooting—it's about cooperation and survival.

But that's not all. The Fallen Emperor offers a more individual challenge, with randomised encounters, puzzles, and platforming through a labyrinth of hazards and Hydra turrets. It's like a bank heist inside a colossal robot corpse—if that doesn't get your adrenaline pumping, nothing will.

Part of the fun is the new Grappling Hook item, an easy-to-craft traversal tool that lets you scale and swing in a much more enjoyable way than the existing Snap Hook. I always carry one now, just for ease of exploration. The Fallen Emperor is also smart about loot—it's designed like a kids' gameshow, with loot containers between each encounter, so even if you don't make it to the end, you can still snag rare items.

The same goes for the Arc Frigate—it's not just about who gets there first; these encounters are layered with loot, rewarding exploration as much as pushing for the end goal. Though Frozen Trail has its bugs—my reward pass still isn't fixed—this is a positive update for the game's direction.

If the PvE-mode test is anything to go by, we'll soon be able to play endgame events like the Fallen Emperor, Frigate, Matriarch, or Harvester without fear of getting ratted and having our loot stolen. I'm not a player who minds PvP, but there's a good case for a PvE-only option when running PvE-centric endgame events. It's frustrating getting ambushed after completing one—I once had a huge loot haul on the Frigate, only to be ratted at extraction by some punk with a Kettle who even said "Hello" before killing me.

Still, these new raid-style events have me excited for the future of Arc Raiders. I can't help but fantasize about a Destiny 2-length raid in Arc Raiders, or something like Building 21 or Koschei Complex in DMZ—a dedicated mode with its own timer, challenges, and bosses. I can't wait to see what Embark cooks up next. What do you think? Will you be diving into these new raids?