When was Frozen Trail released?

Frozen Trail launched on October 8, 2026, as a free update for owners.

Pendola Pass, a snowy mountain region in the northern Rust Belt.

Are Raider Decks gone?

Yes. Reward Passes replaced them, and old decks moved to a free Legacy Pass.

Is there a permanent PvE mode?

Not announced. A PvE-only toggle is being tested from October 13 to 20, 2026.

ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Update: Pendola Pass, Enemies, Pass

The Frozen Trail update, also called the 2.0 Update, went live on October 8, 2026. It is free for owners on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Embark also says it plans two big content updates a year from now on. Details below are from the official patch notes and GamesBeat, checked on October 9, 2026.

Key takeaways

New snowy map: Pendola Pass.
New ARC enemies: Bully, Skulker and Hydra.
Reward Passes replace Raider Decks.
Free play ran from October 8 to 12; a PvE-only test runs October 13 to 20.

ARC Raiders – Frozen Trail Arrives · YouTube

Pendola Pass and new threats

Pendola Pass is a mountain region at the northern edge of the Rust Belt. It has more vertical areas and dense interiors. Flash Freeze storms can sweep across it, and Avalanche Shelters appear as they near. A Ballistic Gondola lets three Raiders extract together. The Frigate is a large airborne carrier that holds the Hydra, an enemy that can target several players and respawn. The Bully and Skulker are the other new ARC types.

Outposts, skills and gear

Outposts are new bases outside Speranza with workbenches, crafting and decor. A Research Station adds Weapon Amplification. The patch notes also list new weapons (Bantam and Stiletto), a Camera gadget and a Grappling Hook. The skill tree changed: middle nodes are now binary choices. Your stash grew to 328 slots, and quests now give XP.

Reward Pass instead of Raider Decks

The new Frozen Trail Pass has 60 levels with a Free and a Premium track. Premium costs 1,150 Raider Tokens. Cred is gone, replaced by Reward Points. Old decks move to a free Legacy Pass.

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Anti-cheat and duplicated items

Embark says cheaters now get permanent bans with no warnings, and it is adding hardware bans. Accounts holding many duplicated items are being restricted, and the duplicates removed.

PvE toggle test

From October 13 to 20, 2026, players can switch to a PvE-only mode with PvP damage turned off. It is a test only. Embark has not promised a permanent PvE mode.