Arc Raiders Cold Snap: When You Can Jump In
The final Arc Raiders update of the year is almost here, and it is bringing a serious chill to the battlefield. The Cold Snap update adds a new Snowfall map condition, fresh events, and more reasons to dive back into expeditions before the departure window closes.
Cold Snap launches on December 16, arriving a little over a month after the North Line update that introduced the Stella Montis area and its community event. The rollout time matches Stella Montis, so you can expect the servers to update at the same local times.
Here are the key release times for Arc Raiders Cold Snap:
- West Coast US: 1:30 am PST
- East Coast US: 4:30 am EST
- United Kingdom: 9:30 am GMT
- Europe: 10:30 am CET
- Japan: 6:30 pm JST
- East Coast Australia: 8:30 pm AEDT
Once the update is live, every new raid you run during the event will feel very different thanks to the new weather mechanics and survival twist.
What Cold Snap Adds To Arc Raiders
Cold Snap is not a new map, but it does change how you experience several existing regions. According to the roadmap, this December update focuses on a harsh winter theme and pushes players into higher risk and higher reward runs.
The Cold Snap update includes:
- Snowfall map condition
- Flickering Flames event
- Candleberry Banquet project
- Goalie Raider deck
- New quests
Together, these features turn your regular expeditions into tense survival raids. The world looks different, plays differently, and rewards you for taking on the extra danger.
Snowfall: Surviving The Deep Freeze
The star of the Cold Snap update is the new Snowfall map condition. Instead of simply dropping some light snow on the ground, Snowfall transforms key regions into fully winter themed war zones. Areas like Dam Battlegrounds, Buried City, Spaceport, and Blue Gate get covered in thick white snow, changing visibility and the feel of each run.
Snowfall is not just cosmetic. The cold is actively dangerous. If you stay exposed to the elements for too long, your Raider can suffer from frostbite. This adds a survival layer on top of the usual third person shooting and looting.
Because of frostbite, you cannot just roam around endlessly in the open anymore. You will need to:
- Plan safer routes between cover and buildings
- Use whatever shelter you can find to warm up
- Adjust how long you stay in each area when fighting or looting
This pushes you to think more carefully about positioning and timing. Do you push for that tempting crate in the open while a storm is building, or do you fall back and play it safe? Every decision has more weight when the environment itself is trying to wear you down.
Like other weather conditions in Arc Raiders, such as Electromagnetic Storm, Snowfall comes with a major upside. The harsher the conditions, the better the potential rewards. Under Snowfall you can expect higher rarity loot to drop, giving you more incentive to take those high risk routes and push deeper into dangerous areas.
If you have been trying to finish off an Expedition and are running out of time before the departure window, Cold Snap is a strong reason to jump back in. The increased loot quality can help you complete builds, upgrade your gear, and squeeze more value out of your remaining runs.
Events, Decks, And New Quests
On top of the Snowfall condition, Cold Snap brings extra content that adds flavor and progression hooks to keep you playing through the event period.
The Flickering Flames event ties directly into the winter survival theme. While specific story details are kept light in the announcement, the name alone hints at fire, heat, and scarce shelter becoming central to your runs. Expect to juggle limited resources, tough enemies, and the constant pressure of the cold.
The Candleberry Banquet project adds another layer of objectives to chase while you are out in the snow. Projects usually give you clear goals with meaningful payoffs, so this one should slot nicely into your loop of raiding, looting, and upgrading.
There is also a new Goalie Raider deck, giving players another way to customize their playstyle. Decks in Arc Raiders influence how your Raider performs, so this new option should open up fresh builds and tactics that fit the more defensive, survival heavy feel of Cold Snap.
Finally, the update includes new quests to guide you through the content. These quests encourage you to explore the winterized regions, interact with the new systems, and uncover more of the world as you adapt to the cold.
If you are returning to Arc Raiders after a break or have been grinding steadily since the North Line update, Cold Snap gives you a new reason to jump back in. Expect familiar areas to feel very different, with slower, more deliberate gameplay and higher stakes every time you step into the snow.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/arc-raiders-cold-snap-release-date-launch-time/
