ARC Raiders Frozen Trail First Look: Pendola Pass, the Frigate, Amplified Weapons, and More
Embark Studios has published its Frozen Trail content preview, the most detailed look yet at the update landing in ARC Raiders on Wednesday, October 8, 2026. It confirms a new map, a boardable ARC vessel, three new enemies, two new weapons, a fifth weapon quality level, and a full replacement for the Raider Deck.
We are tracking every confirmed detail on our Metaforge ARC Raiders Frozen Trail hub, which will expand with map data, enemy breakdowns, and weapon stats once the update is live. This article covers what the preview confirms today, what is still TBC, and what to do with your account before launch.
Frozen Trail at a glance
The table below lists every feature named in the preview, grouped by what it changes in your raids.
| Feature | Type | What Embark has confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Pendola Pass | New map | Old Italian village and Exodus transport hub beyond the Rust Belt, with a fallen Emperor |
| Frigate | ARC Operation | One of ARC’s largest vessels, boardable, with internal passageways high in the air |
| Bully | New ARC | Aggressive machine that gallops at your position with multiple lethal attacks |
| Skulker | New ARC | Opportunistic enemy that waits and strikes from the edges of your vision |
| Hydra | New ARC | Turret split into three stacked, autonomous sections |
| Outpost | Raider Den extension | Modular home base between the Rust Belt and the mountains, with a Research Workstation |
| Amplified weapons | Weapon progression | Fifth quality level for 15 weapons, with branching abilities |
| Stiletto | New weapon | Light-ammo battle rifle, positioned as an early-game Renegade alternative |
| Bantam | New weapon | Heavy-ammo snub-nosed revolver with unique hip-fire capability |
| Weapon Stencils | Cosmetic | Weapon re-skins that stay on guns you can still lose in raid |
| Gadgets | Equipment | Grappling Hook, Tether Launcher, Yank Grenade, and Camera |
| Reward Pass | Progression | Free, Premium, and Legacy tracks replacing Raider Decks |
| Skill Tree rework | Progression | New and improved skills |
| New questlines and Map Condition | Content | Confirmed, but not named or detailed in the preview |
Pendola Pass: the new map
Pendola Pass is described as an old Italian village and Exodus transport hub, sitting beyond the Rust Belt in the mountains. The draw for Raiders is a fallen Emperor and the rare technology around it.
Named points of interest in the preview include:
- Supermarket: Part of the village core, listed alongside a lifeless town square.
- Observatory: First teased in the August 12 Frozen Trail announcement, which described the region as once home to villages, factories, research facilities, and an observatory.
- Buried train depot: Tied to the area’s role as an Exodus transport hub.
Pendola Pass joins the six maps already covered in our ARC Raiders interactive maps, including Dam, Buried City, and Riven Tides. Loot tables, extraction points, and spawn locations are TBC until we can map the area in-game on launch day.
The mountain setting also follows the story thread from Raider Project: Ascending the Mountain, which Live Update 1.45.0 sent toward the mountain range beyond the Tube system. Embark has not confirmed whether that project leads directly into Pendola Pass, so treat the link between them as TBC.
The Frigate: an ARC vessel you can board
The Frigate is one of ARC’s largest vessels, and the preview frames it as a challenge for highly skilled Raiders. Fights take place through internal passageways in close quarters, hundreds of feet in the air.
Rival Raiders board it too, so you are dealing with both ARC and other squads in tight corridors. Entry method, loot, and whether the Frigate runs on a timer or event schedule are not stated, and we will add confirmed timings to our Event Timers once they are known.
New ARC enemies: Bully, Skulker, and Hydra
Three new ARC types are confirmed, and each one targets a different habit:
- Bully: Described as an oppressive, aggressive machine that cedes no ground, galloping at your position and fighting with a host of lethal attacks.
- Skulker: An opportunistic threat that lies in wait and skirts the edges of your vision before it strikes.
- Hydra: A turret split into three stacked, autonomous portions, each carrying its own weaponry.
The Hydra’s split design suggests each section may need to be dealt with separately, but health values, weak points, and drops are TBC. Full entries will go into our ARC enemy database after launch testing.
Outpost and the Research Workstation
The Outpost is an extension of your Raider Den, set between the Rust Belt and the mountains. You can customize it with different modules and decorate it with furniture.
The functional piece is the Research Workstation, which the preview ties to weapon upgrades and access to modifications. Embark has not stated whether Amplified weapons are unlocked at the Workstation, so that connection is TBC.
If you already plan upgrade materials in our Workshop Planner, expect Outpost costs to be added there once the requirements are public. The Frozen Trail hub will carry the full module list when it is confirmed.
Amplified weapons: a fifth quality level
Amplified weapons add a fifth quality level on top of the current I to IV tiers, launching on 15 weapons. Each one gets a branching path of abilities that changes how the weapon behaves, rather than a flat stat bump.
Embark gave three examples in the preview:
- Burletta: Can become fully automatic, compared to the semi-automatic
Burletta IV available today. - Renegade: Can be fitted with a scope, building on the current
Renegade IV. - Rattler: Can fire incendiary bullets from a 64-bullet magazine, a route off the existing
Rattler IV.
The other 12 weapons, the unlock cost, and whether you can respec a branch are not listed yet. We will publish the full Amplified list and branch options on the Frozen Trail weapons section as soon as it is verified in-game.
New weapons: Stiletto and Bantam
Two new weapons arrive with Frozen Trail:
- Stiletto: A light-ammo battle rifle Embark calls an early-game alternative to the Renegade.
- Bantam: A heavy-ammo, snub-nosed revolver with unique hip-fire capability.
Damage, fire rate, and crafting recipes are TBC. Once confirmed, you can slot either weapon into a kit with our Loadouts builder.
Weapon Stencils
Weapon Stencils are cosmetic re-skins for personalizing your guns. The preview adds a clear warning that other Raiders can take a stenciled weapon if they beat you.
Whether the stencil stays on the weapon for the Raider who loots it is not confirmed. Until that is clear, assume a stenciled gun carries the same loss risk as any other weapon you bring into a raid.
New gadgets and instruments
Frozen Trail adds four gadgets and two instruments:
- Grappling Hook: Lets you climb, abseil, and swing across terrain.
- Tether Launcher: Connects two points with a wire to immobilize a target or attach an enemy to ARC.
- Yank Grenade: Pulls a nearby target toward you with violent force.
- Camera: A working camera with zoom, aperture, focus, and a selfie mode, with photos saved to your Codex.
- Harmonica: An in-game instrument for making music.
- Banjo: A second instrument, included with the Collector Set DLC.
The Grappling Hook and Tether Launcher are the two most likely to change how you move around Pendola Pass. Given the map’s focus on verticality in the August announcement, expect traversal routes to be a major part of our launch-day map coverage.
Reward Pass replaces the Raider Deck
The Raider Deck is being replaced by a Reward Pass with three tracks. This lines up with the Cred retirement on October 8, confirmed in the 1.45.0 notes.
| Track | Cost | Confirmed contents |
|---|---|---|
| Free Pass | Free | 200 Raider Tokens, five outfits, and 20 cosmetic items |
| Premium Pass | Paid (price TBC) | Exclusive colorways, weapon stencils, hairstyles, and 1,150 Raider Tokens |
| Legacy Pass | Free | Consolidates your existing Raider Decks into one track |
| Collector Set DLC | Paid (price TBC) | Both Pass tracks, Renzo cosmetic set, Dragon’s Breath Weapon Stencil, Bob Hair Style, Banjo, and 2,400 Raider Tokens |
The Legacy Pass matters most if you have been working through older Decks. It gives existing Deck rewards a home in the new system, which matches Embark’s earlier promise that current Raider Deck rewards will carry over.
The preview does not say whether the Collector Set’s 2,400 Raider Tokens include the Premium Pass’s 1,150 or sit on top of them. We have marked that as TBC and will update the table once Embark clarifies it or the store listing goes live.
Example Scenario: You only want the Raider Tokens and do not care about the Renzo set. On the confirmed figures, the Free Pass gives you 200 tokens at no cost, so the question is whether the Premium Pass price is worth an extra 1,150, and that depends on a price Embark has not published yet.
Skill Tree rework, questlines, and Map Condition
The Skill Tree is being reworked with new and improved skills. The August announcement framed the aim as giving you more agency over the kind of Raider you want to become.
Specific node changes are not in the preview, so current builds may not map cleanly onto the new tree. Our Skill Tree builder will be updated to match the reworked tree on launch.
New questlines and a new Map Condition are also confirmed, but neither is named. Quest steps will be added to our ARC Raiders quest database as we complete them.
What to do before October 8
The preview confirms what is coming, but a few account decisions have to be made before the update lands:
- Spend your Cred: Any Cred balance expires on October 8, so clear it with Shani or on Raider Deck rewards first.
- Claim open Deck rewards: Claimed rewards stay with you, and the Legacy Pass is where older Decks will live.
- Hold weapon materials: The Research Workstation handles weapon upgrades, so keeping crafting materials on hand gives you options on launch day.
- Note your current build: Record your Skill Tree setup now, since the rework may change the nodes you rely on.
Example Scenario: You have a stash full of Renegade and Rattler parts and a small Cred balance on October 6. Spending the Cred is the safe move because it will not survive the update, while the weapon parts are worth keeping because both guns are confirmed Amplified candidates.
Dev Q&A livestream on September 25
Embark is hosting a Frozen Trail developer Q&A livestream on Thursday, September 25, at 6pm CEST. That is 5pm BST, 12pm EDT, and 9am PDT.
We expect answers on several of the TBC items above, including the remaining Amplified weapons and Reward Pass pricing. Anything confirmed on the stream will go straight into the Frozen Trail hub.
Frequently asked questions
When does ARC Raiders Frozen Trail release?
Frozen Trail launches on October 8, 2026. It adds the Pendola Pass map, the Frigate, three new ARC enemies, Amplified weapons, the Outpost, and the Reward Pass.
What is Pendola Pass in ARC Raiders?
Pendola Pass is the new map, an old Italian village and Exodus transport hub beyond the Rust Belt. It includes an observatory, a buried train depot, and a fallen Emperor.
Which weapons get Amplified versions?
Amplified weapons launch on 15 weapons, and Embark has confirmed the Burletta, Renegade, and Rattler so far. The remaining 12 are TBC.
Can you lose a weapon with a Stencil on it?
Yes. Embark’s preview states that Raiders who beat you can take your personalized weapon, so Stencils do not protect a gun from being looted.
What happens to my Raider Deck progress?
The Raider Deck is replaced by the Reward Pass, and the free Legacy Pass consolidates your existing Decks. Rewards you have already claimed stay on your account.
For live map data, enemy guides, and weapon stats once the update drops, head to our complete Frozen Trail guide and the wider ARC Raiders hub.
