ARC Raiders developer Embark Studios has just put out the game's first winter update with Cold Snap, an update that freezes over the Rust Belt and adds a new survival layer you need to be concerned about every time you step out into a new run. The new update also adds a new Raider Deck coming later this month, and a new event for players to dig into.
Winter in the Rust Belt means that now, beyond having to worry about other players and killer robots, you have to worry about other players, killer robots, and potentially freezing to death. You'll have to keep warm and move fast to ensure that you don't wind up out in the Belt, unable to see because of the cold, your feet freezing, and frostbite starting to set in.
There's also a new event with this update, the Flickering Flames event. It's a particularly special time of year where Sperenzans are huddling together for warmth and being thankful for what little they do have, like a warm candle and some fresh berries.
While out on runs, you'll be tasked with gathering Candleberries for festive centrepieces and finding anything that can help make your underground shelter a little brighter and warmer. Plus, collecting as many candleberries and sources of light and warmth as you can will help you earn new cosmetics, weapons, raider tokens, new items, and more when you return with your bounty of berries.
According to what we know of the roadmap for ARC Raiders, this is the final big update of the year for ARC Raiders, and all in all, it seems like a more than fruitful update to cap off 2025 with. ARC Raiders may have only walked away from The Game Awards with one win for Best Multiplayer game, but it arguably won the back-half of the year overall, as it skyrocketed in sales and concurrent player counts since it launched at the end of October.
ARC Raiders is undeniably one of the biggest games of 2025. It was even the most-searched video game according to Google's wrap-up of the year, and it didn't even release until 2025's final months. Amidst the controversy that has surrounded it, it's simply impressive to see what Embark Studios has accomplished with its latest title.
Now, though, the big question is whether Embark can sustain this level of success, and even grow from it, going into 2026. ARC Raiders wouldn't be the first, nor the last, multiplayer game to make a big splash in its launch window and fail to find its legs a little further down the line. We'll see how it looks a year from now, but for now, you can cozy up with its new update. For more on ARC Raiders, check out our hub page to find all of our news, guides, and review coverage.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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