Arc Raiders Gets Frosty with the Cold Snap Event
Arc Raiders players are about to face a brutal new challenge. The Cold Snap event is a limited time winter update that turns familiar battlegrounds into frozen war zones and adds fresh systems, rewards and risks to every raid.
Running from December 16 to January 13, 2026, Cold Snap brings a new Snowfall map condition to Topside locations. Once lush areas like Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, Buried City and Blue Gate are now buried under snow, forcing raiders to adapt or freeze.
This update is aimed squarely at players who enjoy high tension survival style gameplay layered on top of Arc Raiders core third person shooting and extraction focused design.
Snowfall, Frostbite and Survival Focused Gameplay
The key feature of Cold Snap is the new Snowfall condition that can affect raid locations across Speranza. When it hits, the entire vibe of a run changes.
Here is what the winter storm does to the game world:
- Reduced visibility Snowstorms make it much harder to see enemies and other players, raising the stakes in every encounter.
- Frozen lakes Water surfaces freeze over which can change navigation routes and open or close flanking options.
- More dangerous open areas With harsher conditions outdoors, crossing open ground becomes even riskier, especially when you factor in other players hunting for the same loot and objectives.
On top of the weather effects, Cold Snap introduces a new survival mechanic that can kill careless raiders all on its own. Frostbite becomes a constant looming threat during snowy runs.
Frostbite works as a creeping condition that slowly drains your health bar while you are exposed to the cold. To stay alive you need to balance time outdoors with time under cover. That means diving into what few structures remain on the map to warm up and reset the debuff.
The update pushes you to rethink how you build and play your character:
- Loadout changes You will want to bring more healing options for yourself and your teammates since the environment itself is now a source of damage.
- Careful extraction planning Getting out with your loot is now harder. You must plan routes that allow you to duck into shelter before frostbite and enemy players finish you off.
- Risk versus reward indoors While buildings protect you from the cold they also funnel players into tight spaces. That can quickly turn into chaotic firefights, traps or even player made death mazes.
With everyone grinding the new content and the Expedition system, the social pressure in raids is only going to ramp up. Expect more ambushes, more betrayals and more desperate last second escapes.
New Raider Deck, Events and Seasonal Rewards
Cold Snap is not just about brutal weather. It also delivers new progression hooks and cosmetics to chase throughout the event and beyond.
First up is the new Goalie Raider deck. This deck is included for free for anyone who bought either edition of the game and will remain available indefinitely.
The Goalie deck includes:
- New items and feats Extra ways to tune your build and adapt to the frozen conditions.
- A hockey themed outfit A cursed looking armor set with a goalie aesthetic and an unsettling tube like umbilical cord detail that makes it stand out in the field both visually and thematically.
Because the deck is permanent you do not have to rush. You can experiment over time to see whether its perks and style fit your preferred way to raid.
Alongside the deck, Cold Snap layers in two event style progression tracks designed to reward regular play during the snowbound season.
Flickering Flames Event
This event spans 25 levels of unlockable rewards. To even access it you must complete five rounds using the new Snowfall map condition which encourages players to dive into the harsh weather instead of avoiding it.
Once unlocked, you can work your way up through the levels by playing and surviving. The exact reward list is not fully detailed but expect a mix of cosmetics and currencies.
Candleberry Banquet Project
The Candleberry Banquet is a more thematic project style activity tied directly to the Cold Snap period. It tasks you with scavenging unique items and special candleberries during your snowbound raids.
The project is split into five stages. Each completed stage reveals a new scene on a virtual banquet table creating a sense of unfolding story as you progress. Clearing stages grants rewards such as:
- Cosmetic items to show off during and after the event
- Raider Tokens to further develop your character
- Merits which feed into your progression in the Flickering Flames event
This structure means the different parts of Cold Snap are layered together. Playing under Snowfall conditions feeds Flickering Flames while Candleberry Banquet progress also boosts your Flames advancement. The result is a loop that keeps you queuing for another raid out in the blizzard.
All of this sits on top of the existing Expedition Project Raider system and the seasonal Raider reset that comes with the update. For regular players this is a fresh set of goals and experiments to chase. For new or returning raiders it is a strong moment to jump in while the whole community is learning to survive the cold together.
If you enjoy extraction shooters and want a reason to tweak builds, test survival strategies and fight other players in a very hostile environment, the Arc Raiders Cold Snap event is shaping up to be a memorable season.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-cold-snap-event-will-turn-every-raid-into-a-high-stakes-survival-run-as-frostbite-drives-players-into-what-little-shelter-remains/
