What Arc Raiders' Frozen Trail Update Means for Players
The update proves Embark's slower content cadence can still bring lapsed players back, potentially setting up a longer-term recovery for Arc Raiders.
The update proves Embark's slower content cadence can still bring lapsed players back, potentially setting up a longer-term recovery for Arc Raiders.
Key points - Frozen Trail launched October 8 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S as Arc Raiders' biggest update since April. - Steam concurrent players hit 166,670, a seven-month high and first notable spike since December 2025. - The update adds Pendola Pass, a massive snowy map, plus new Arc enemies and the Tether Launcher. - The Grappling Hook lets players attach to cliffs and flying Arc, drawing Spider-Man comparisons. - A free weekend runs October 8–12, letting newcomers try the game for free.
Timeline - July 2026: Arc Raiders' Steam player count struggles to exceed 35,000 after its all-time peak of nearly 500,000. - September 2026: Player count hits a low of just 10,000 concurrent players on Steam. - October 8, 2026: Frozen Trail update launches on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S alongside a free weekend. - October 2026: Steam concurrents reach 166,670, the highest since early April.
FAQ
Q: What is the Arc Raiders 2.0 update? A: It's the Frozen Trail update, adding the Pendola Pass map, new Arc enemies, the Tether Launcher, Grappling Hook, Advanced Camera, and more.
Q: Is Arc Raiders free to play this weekend? A: Yes, a free weekend runs from October 8 to October 12, letting anyone try the game on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Q: Why are players calling it Spider-Man? A: The new Grappling Hook lets you attach to cliffs and flying Arc, letting you swing around maps at high speed like Spider-Man.
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