ARC Raiders Is Changing How It Handles Updates; Frozen Trail Due in October
Since its release, Embark has been very active in updating ARC Raiders with not only bug fixes and gameplay adjustments, but also with content and features.
However, things are about to change, and it remains to be seen whether this is a good one for raiders or not.
Moving forward, Embark is shaking things up when it comes to game updates and major content drops.
ARC Raiders Update Changes Shakes Things Up for Content
Embark has announced that they are moving away from monthly content drops to a bi-annual update cadence, and this is being done so that the game receives more “impactful changes.”
The studio notes, “Going forward, we’ve made the decision to release major updates twice a year – larger in scale, more impactful, with the goal to genuinely change how you play the game.”
The added development time will allow Embark to invest more deeply in the health of ARC Raiders, and this will affect progression and economy balancing to fair play and anti-cheat efforts.
However, this doesn’t mean the game will receive fewer game updates, as Embark promises “a dedicated live service team will continue running ARC Raiders day-to-day: regular live updates, plus balance fixes, bug fixes, store updates, and player events aren’t going anywhere.”
Speaking of content drops, the next one is called Frozen Trail, and Embark says this is their biggest update yet.
ARC Raiders Frozen Trailer Content Preview
- A Sprawling New Frontier – Explore a new landscape in the Rust Belt with layered design and new mysteries to uncover in the largest map in the game.
- Our Most Ambitious ARC Operation So Far – including new ARC enemies with fresh designs, and unique behaviors that will challenge Raiders in new ways.
- New Systems of Progression – Many players have maxed out their Raider Den and hit the Skill Point ceiling. Frozen Trail will introduce new goals and more ways to shape your Raider’s progression.
- Exploring the origin of ARC – What are ARC and where do they come from? Frozen Trail gives Raiders the opportunity to begin uncovering that mystery.
- Improved Skill Tree
- Alongside new weapons, items, instruments, cosmetics and more
Embark says they aren’t merely stacking new content on top of the existing experience, but rather, they are “refining core systems to support a more meaningful long-term experience,” and Frozen Trail is the beginning of where they want to bring the game.
A New Trader Enters the Rust Belt
Next week, Embark is introducing a fresh mechanic for late-game players, and it’s a new Trader!
The new Trader unlocks at level 25, and he will offer unique rewards, rare items, and cosmetics in exchange for your high-value items. This new character will take items off your hands in return for these weekly rotating rewards, but there are also instances where players will be tasked to go and find rare items to trade.
The new Trader also offers two perks in exchange for high-value items:
- Extra Stash space to help you increase your capacity.
- The Expedition Vault. This allows you to carry over up to five items across the Expedition, so you can set your new Raider up with your favorite items or blueprints.
Other Refinements Planned…
Embark has also shared a broader picture on where they want to take ARC Raiders, and this goes hand-in-hand with their decision to release major updates to just twice a year.
The improvements being planned include:
- Make progression deeper and more meaningful
- Give players more ways to customize their Raider
- Improve features like Trials so they’re fun, not repetitive
- Make the Expedition Project more rewarding and less frustrating
Expect changes to these to be part of the smaller updates.
For those who dive into ARC Raiders daily, are the changes good in your opinion or would you rather the cadence not change?
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