Arc Raiders is in the Holiday Spirit
Arc Raiders players are enjoying a surprisingly generous holiday season thanks to the new Cold Snap update. This recent patch has shaken up the game by dramatically increasing blueprint drops and adding a fun Christmas freebie that every active raider will want to claim.
Cold Snap originally launched with blueprint drop rates that were far higher than intended. These blueprints are usually much harder to earn, so players quickly noticed that they were swimming in crafting options. Embark Studios, the developer behind Arc Raiders, admitted this was a small miscalculation on their part and responded with a hotfix.
The hotfix slightly reduced the blueprint drop rates, but not all the way back down. The important detail for players is that blueprint drops are still better than they were before Cold Snap arrived. So if you are jumping into Arc Raiders right now, it is still a great time to grind for gear and unlock new options for your loadout.
The boosted drop rates are tied to maps that have the Cold Snap condition active. These snowy missions force players to stay indoors to avoid freezing to death, adding a survival twist to the usual gameplay. If you want to take advantage of the new loot economy, you will want to prioritize these Cold Snap maps whenever they show up.
How to Claim Your Free Raider Tokens
Alongside the loot changes, Embark is giving out a Christmas gift to everyone logging in during the event period. When you log into Arc Raiders, you will find a character named Scrappy the chicken acting as the bearer of good tidings and free currency.
Scrappy is handing out 1,000 raider tokens to every eligible player. That amount is normally worth around ten dollars, so it is a meaningful boost if you like cosmetics or want to freshen up your raider’s look. It is enough to buy a new skin for your character or even something stylish for Scrappy.
The catch is that the reward is not thrown in your face. The free tokens are tucked away in the in game mail system. To claim them, follow these steps:
- Open your inventory screen in Arc Raiders.
- Look for the mail icon in the top right corner.
- Find the message titled Happy Holidays from the developers.
- Open it to receive your 1,000 raider tokens.
Once you have claimed the gift, you can immediately spend the tokens on cosmetic items. Combined with the higher blueprint drop rates in Cold Snap missions, this makes the current event one of the most rewarding times to log in and play.
Players are using this window to either chase rare blueprints or simply camp extraction points and farm rewards with less risk. However you like to play, the current balance definitely favors active raiders who jump into these missions while the numbers are still generous.
Cheaters Miss Out on the Holiday Cheer
Embark has also kept its sense of humor when dealing with players who try to exploit the game. Earlier, some Arc Raiders players discovered a door glitch that let them bypass locked areas. Instead of letting the exploit slide, the developers introduced a creative punishment.
Anyone who used the glitch would be roasted alive after clipping through a locked door, turning the exploit into a fiery lesson. These players would also receive a warning email from the in game system, making it clear that the behavior was noticed.
Now it seems that glitchers are not just being punished with flames. According to one disappointed player on Reddit, those who previously abused the door glitch are excluded from the full holiday reward. They still receive the same Happy Holidays mail as everyone else, but instead of 1,000 raider tokens they reportedly get a single raider token.
This tongue in cheek approach fits the tone of Arc Raiders. It sends a message about cheating without resorting only to bans and keeps the community talking. It also reinforces that fair play is rewarded while exploiters miss out on some of the fun.
If you have not glitched doors and you log in during the event, you should receive the full 1,000 token gift. That gives honest players a little extra satisfaction while they enjoy new cosmetics and grind for gear in the Cold Snap missions.
For those curious about where Arc Raiders goes from here, Embark has already talked about future plans like behavior based matchmaking and map updates. The current event shows that the studio is willing to experiment with loot, tweak systems quickly when needed, and keep the game feeling lively with seasonal touches and playful punishments.
For PC players looking for a cooperative shooter with a strong community focus and evolving systems, this holiday update is a good excuse to either return to Arc Raiders or jump in for the first time. Between the boosted blueprint drops, the free currency, and the snowy Cold Snap missions, there is plenty of reason to log on and see what kind of trouble you and your friends can get into.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-continues-in-the-christmas-spirit-with-usd10-worth-of-free-currency-alongside-the-ongoing-blueprint-bonanza/
