ARC Raiders Frozen Trail launched on October 8, 2026 as Update 2.0, adding Pendola Pass, the Frigate operation, the Outpost, weapon amplification, a rebuilt skill tree, new ARC enemies, gadgets and a 60-level Reward Pass. This guide explains what changed, what to unlock first and which activities are worth your next raid.
If you are returning after a break, the biggest adjustment is not simply the new map. Your progression choices now connect the Outpost and Research Bench to weapons, while the redesigned skill tree and movement tools change how you approach extraction.
ARC Raiders Frozen Trail: Key Takeaways
- Release: October 8, 2026; this is the live 2.0 patch, not an upcoming roadmap feature.
- New map: Pendola Pass, with vertical mountain routes, changing loot value and Ballistic Gondola extraction.
- New threats: Bully, Skulker and Hydra, plus the Frigate operation.
- Progression: an unlockable Outpost, Research Bench, amplified weapons and redesigned skill choices.
- New gear: Stiletto, Bantam, Grappling Hook, Tether Launcher, Yank Grenade, Cameras and more.
- Rewards: Frozen Trail Reward Pass has 60 levels across Free and Premium tracks; older Raider Decks remain under Legacy Pass.
Frozen Trail status as of October 27, 2026: Update 2.0 launched on October 8, followed by Updates 2.1 on October 13 and 2.2 on October 20. The later patches refined movement, Frigate and Gondola interactions, and the available Feats; they did not replace the core Frozen Trail features explained here. For fixes released after launch, see our ARC Raiders Updates & Patch Notes.
What Should You Do First in Frozen Trail?
Start by opening the Outpost project and checking the new skill tree. Bring a Camera for the early housing-photo objective. Then explore Pendola Pass with a replaceable loadout rather than betting your best weapon on an unfamiliar extraction sequence. Once you have reliable exits, move on to researching useful gear or preparing for a Frigate run.
- Review your skill allocation. The revamped tree includes exclusive choices, so an old build may not reflect your preferred mobility or survival setup.
- Accept the Outpost project. The Research Bench is tied to that progression path.
- Bring a Camera. The first Outpost objective requires a photograph of a farmland house; Shani sells Cameras, and they can also be crafted or found Topside.
- Scout Pendola Pass. Learn the shelter locations and Gondola extraction process before carrying expensive materials.
- Pick one progression goal. Research upgrades, amplified guns, Frigate loot and Reward Pass levels demand different activities.
Pick Your First Frozen Trail Goal
Start with the system blocking your progress, not the most expensive raid kit.
Pendola Pass Map, Weather and Extraction
Pendola Pass is a snowy mountain region beyond the Rust Belt. The landscape connects abandoned structures and elevated terrain to the remains of a fallen Emperor. Expect climbing, exposed sightlines and meaningful differences between sheltered routes and open crossings.
How to Unlock Pendola Pass
The map opens after 25 played rounds, according to the published update overview. A new Raider can also join a friend who already has access, which Embark explicitly confirms for the October free-play period. If the map is unavailable on your account, check its current unlock condition in the map-selection screen before planning a solo trip.
Dynamic Loot Zones
Pendola Pass experiments with dynamic loot value. A residential zone stays residential, but its relative loot value can vary between raids. This is a reason to inspect the live map rather than repeating yesterday’s route automatically. A familiar building is not a guarantee of the same payout.
Flash Freeze, Shelter and Route Planning
Flash Freeze adds a weather-related survival problem to the map. Identify nearby protection before crossing long open sections, and remember that shelter locations can attract other Raiders. A short detour through cover may be better than contesting a crowded doorway after conditions turn against you.
How Ballistic Gondola Extraction Works
- Find and activate the Gondola Transceiver.
- Locate the marked gondola landing zone.
- Reach the arriving gondola and open an available pod.
- Board and launch before the extraction sequence ends.
Do not treat this as an ordinary extraction elevator. The pods and boarding sequence create their own timing and positioning risks. In a squad, agree on when to commit instead of leaving teammates spread across the landing area.
Redirection and the ARC Frigate
Redirection: Emperor Payloads
Redirection is associated with Pendola Pass and the fallen Emperor. The published route involves collecting an Emperor Beacon from a damaged relay, deploying it in an open area, keeping clear of the incoming payload and then breaching it for loot. The reward is tempting, but the visible activity can create competition with nearby Raiders.
If you want to farm Emperor Payloads, find the Conduit blueprint and craft the key, follow the Redirection and Emperor Payload Guide. Opening the Fallen Emperor is a different objective: our Fallen Emperor Dungeon Guide covers the interior puzzles, Emperor Modulator and extraction plan.
Frigate: The Major ARC Operation
The Frigate is a large boardable ARC vessel with hostile defenses, internal routes and other Raiders pursuing valuable technology. It is a higher-commitment objective than casual map scavenging. During the Frigate condition, Free Loadouts and Raider Hatches are unavailable; check your equipment and exit plan before entering. A successful boarding is not the same as a successful extraction.
Before boarding, decide whether you want a short material run or the full cargo operation. The ARC Raiders Frigate Guide explains Reclaimer boarding, Hydra encounters, Power Cores, the cargo release sequence and the route back to a normal extraction point.
New ARC Enemies: Bully, Skulker and Hydra
| Enemy | Threat | Practical response |
|---|---|---|
| Bully | Aggressive pursuit and position pressure | Keep a retreat path and avoid draining stamina in a dead end. |
| Skulker | Stalking and surprise attacks | Recheck angles and avoid assuming it has disengaged. |
| Hydra | Stationary, multi-weapon area control | Use hard cover; coordinate separate firing angles in a group. |
These are positioning problems as much as damage checks. When in doubt, preserve an escape route and avoid pulling an unfamiliar ARC while your extraction timer or storm exposure is already working against you.
Stiletto, Bantam and Amplified Weapons
Frozen Trail adds two conventional firearms and a deeper weapon-upgrade system. These should not be confused: obtaining a Stiletto or Bantam is different from unlocking amplification for eligible existing weapons.
| Weapon | Ammo | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Stiletto | Light | Battle rifle for controlled longer-range engagements. |
| Bantam | Heavy | Uncommon revolver for close or deliberate heavy-ammo shots. |
The Anvil has moved to Rare rarity. Its former Anvil Splitter mod is now tied to the amplified version, so do not plan a build around obtaining the old standalone mod.
How Weapon Amplification Works
Amplification opens a fifth enhancement tier for selected weapons, potentially changing their handling or functionality rather than providing a simple damage bump. The published overview describes 15 supported weapons. To pursue this system, unlock the Outpost, upgrade the necessary research and crafting facilities, then acquire the relevant modules and materials. Confirm an individual gun’s available upgrades in the live Research Bench before spending rare resources.
Turn New Tech Into Usable Gear
The next decision depends on whether you need a repeatable recipe, a ready-made weapon, or upgrades.
How to Unlock the Outpost and Research Bench
The Outpost is a personal base with research and decoration systems. It is not unlocked automatically by installing the update. Complete its project, which begins with recording Topside living conditions. Embark’s known-issues note explicitly calls out the farmland-house photograph and reminds players to carry a Camera.
After unlocking the Outpost, you gain access to the Research Bench. Further upgrades and recipes can require separate levels, materials and research progress; an Outpost unlock does not automatically grant all high-end weapons. Furniture Designs are learned recipes, not ready-placed pieces of furniture. There are 100 designs listed in the official patch notes, sourced from Topside finds, the Outpost progression, the pass and DLC.
For the complete Sheltered Retreat project, room materials, Research Station I-IV requirements and Research Points, continue with our Outpost & Research Station Guide. If your immediate problem is an outdated talent allocation, the Skill Tree Builds Guide owns the exact solo and squad point distributions.
New Gadgets and Traversal Tools
| Item | Main purpose |
|---|---|
| Grappling Hook | Rope-based climbing, descending and swinging. |
| Tether Launcher | Connecting or restraining targets with a tether. |
| Yank Grenade | Pulling targets toward its effect. |
| Basic / Advanced Camera | Photography for objectives and other in-game uses. |
| Mountaineer’s Detector | Specialized new utility item. |
| Banjo / Harmonica | Musical social items. |
The Grappling Hook is particularly relevant on Pendola Pass because vertical routes can let you avoid dangerous ground approaches. It does not make every crossing safe: always consider your landing area and the players who can see it.
What Changed in the Skill Tree?
The Conditioning, Mobility and Survival branches were reworked to make major choices more meaningful. At the middle of a branch, you must choose one of two alternatives. Toward the end, you can choose up to two of three skills after meeting the required investment. Those selections are not simultaneously unlockable by simply spending more points. Embark says further tuning may follow as players test the system.
Prioritize a coherent playstyle rather than assuming the previous best build is still optimal. For solo extraction, mobility and recovery can matter more than a specialized combat perk. For prepared groups, complementary utility may justify different selections.
Frozen Trail Reward Pass, Feats and Legacy Rewards
The 60-level Frozen Trail Reward Pass replaces the old Raider Deck progression model with Free and Premium reward tracks. Reward Points now replace Cred, and progress is applied to the one active pass you have selected. Old Raider Decks are preserved inside the Legacy Pass, including previously claimed rewards; you can make Legacy active to keep working through it.
| Feat difficulty | Reward Points | Weekly milestone progress |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 15 | 1 |
| Medium | 25 | 2 |
| Hard | 50 | 3 |
Weekly milestones unlock at 4, 8 and 12 milestone progress, awarding 250 Reward Points each. Feats remain completable after those milestones, but the extra milestone rewards wait for the weekly reset. Premium rewards require Premium access; leveling the Free track by itself does not purchase it.
Update 2.2 Feats: Embark added, removed and rebalanced individual Feats on October 20. The published Easy, Medium and Hard Reward Point values and the three weekly milestones shown above remain the documented base rules, but a fixed checklist written for launch day may no longer match today’s objectives. Check the live Feats menu before selecting a route, and confirm that Frozen Trail is the active Reward Pass if that is where you want your points to go.
Choose the Right Endgame Activity
Pendola Pass farming, Frigate clears, and Reward Pass progress are different goals.
October 2026 Events and Limited-Time Bonuses
Frozen Trail’s launch promotions and the temporary PvE test were separate from the permanent features of Update 2.0. As of October 27, the free weekend and matchmaking beta have ended. The announced Twitch Drops period continues through November 4, subject to the campaign’s eligibility rules.
| Event | Official dates (2026) | Status and action |
|---|---|---|
| Free Play Weekend | October 8-12 | Ended. It was a launch promotion, not permanent free-to-play access. |
| PvE matchmaking toggle beta | October 13-20 | Ended October 20. Embark requested feedback; no permanent PvE-only option was confirmed by Update 2.2. |
| Frozen Trail Twitch Drops | October 8-November 4 | Scheduled until November 4: Oxygen Respirator at 60 minutes and Mailbox at 120 minutes of eligible viewing. Check the live Twitch campaign before claiming. |
For current map conditions and newly announced campaigns, use the official event panel rather than assuming a past free weekend or beta test is still active.
Other Notable 2.0 Changes
- Quests: 22 new quests, with XP now shown for quest objectives and completions. Several earlier photo objectives require the Camera.
- Stash: the standard maximum increases to 328 slots before Expedition or Nomadic Envoy bonuses.
- Heavy Shield: lower equipped movement penalty, from 15% to 10%, and reduced durability decay.
- Snap Hook: range reduced from 20 m to 18 m; power and durability consumption increased.
- Explosive weapons against ARC: much stronger against armor plates but weaker against fragile parts following a formula change.
- Traders: Cassio joins the Nomadic Envoys; other inventories and currency offers change.
Common Frozen Trail Mistakes to Avoid
- Bringing your most valuable kit on the first Pendola Pass run. Learn exits and cover first.
- Assuming the same loot route works every raid. Dynamic zone value changes the payoff.
- Trying to finish the Outpost photo step without a Camera. Bring or acquire one before heading out.
- Expecting a Free Loadout on Frigate. Prepare a real kit and a fallback extraction plan.
- Mixing up Reward Pass and character leveling. Reward Points progress a selected pass; character XP is a different system.
- Spending scarce modules before checking research requirements. Verify the weapon and station prerequisites first.
Frozen Trail FAQ
When Did Frozen Trail Release?
ARC Raiders Update 2.0 launched on October 8, 2026.
Can New Players Enter Pendola Pass?
Yes. Embark confirms new players can join a teammate who has the map unlocked. The published overview also lists a 25-round solo unlock requirement.
Do I Lose Previous Raider Deck Rewards?
No. Older decks remain available as the Legacy Pass, and rewards already unlocked stay claimed.
Is the Outpost Free to Unlock?
The Outpost unlock is earned through its in-game project. Optional third-party services are not required to access it.
Does the Premium Reward Pass Level Up My Character?
No. Reward Pass levels and Raider character levels are different progression systems, and Premium access is a separate purchase.
Is PvE-Only Matchmaking Permanent?
No. The limited PvE matchmaking toggle beta ran from October 13 to October 20, 2026, and has ended. Embark is reviewing player feedback. Update 2.2 did not announce a permanent PvE-only matchmaking option.
