ARC Raiders to introduce a paid battle pass alongside the Frozen Trail update
Since launch, ARC Raiders has used a seasonal progression pass called the "Raider Deck" that granted players a fresh deck each season with free rewards to unlock. In a video, Embark Studios announced that the upcoming Frozen Trail update will replace the Raider Deck with a new "Reward Pass" featuring both free and paid progression.
The Reward Pass will contain two parallel tracks spanning 60 levels: a free track with a selection of complimentary rewards, and a premium track with exclusive cosmetics and deluxe variants of some free-track items. The studio detailed the premium pass' price and contents in the announcement:
The premium pass can be unlocked in the in-game store for 1,150 Raider Tokens or through the Frozen Trail Collector Set in the store, and it includes 50 additional rewards, including exclusive Raider cosmetics and 1,150 additional Raider Tokens. In total, by completing the Reward Pass on both free and premium tracks, players can earn 1,350 tokens.
According to Embark Studios, players who have accumulated Raider Tokens will be able to purchase the premium pass with those tokens. The studio also stressed that everything behind the paid track will be cosmetic-only: all basic cosmetic items remain obtainable in the free track, while alternate variants (for example, different skin tones, hairstyles, backpacks and similar variants) will be gated behind the premium pass.
The Frozen Trail update is being billed as the largest update in ARC Raiders history and introduces a number of new features and systems:
- New map Pendola Pass — a remote, mountainous area built around vertical gameplay and harsh weather; sudden frost can catch raiders out, making shelter important. The map also adds a new three-seat evacuation option: a ballistic gondola.
- Three new ARC robots, weapon upgrades available from a new research station, plus additional challenges.
- New tools including a grappling hook and a camera that can record in first-person or take selfies.
- An extra safehouse called the Outpost in addition to the lair — it can be decorated and used for crafting.
- A weapon appearance customization system that does not change weapon stats; "Stencils" for guns will be obtainable via multiple methods.
- Improvements to the quest system and revisions to the raider skill tree, including new skills and upgraded versions of existing ones.
Frozen Trail is scheduled to launch on October 8. ARC Raiders is available on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series, and includes Russian text localization. The game has surpassed 16 million copies sold.