Upcoming Features and Testing

Embark Studios continues its commitment to enhancing Arc Raiders, with significant developments announced for the game. Starting October 13, players can participate in the testing of an exciting new co-op mode, which aims to broaden the gameplay experience. Concurrently, the company is focusing on improving its anti-cheat systems to ensure fair play.

Frozen Trail Update

The latest update, titled Frozen Trail, is described as the “biggest update since launch” and introduces a wealth of fresh content and gameplay modifications. Complementing this update, a free weekend event is currently active and will conclude on October 12.

Key enhancements in the Frozen Trail update include:

• A brand-new map with diverse environments
• New weather conditions that affect gameplay
• Additional enemies and weapons for players to engage with
• A revamped skill tree to enhance character progression
• A grappling hook and various navigation tools, improving movement options
• The introduction of a customizable base called The Outpost, equipped with a Research Bench and numerous furniture designs for crafting

Player Engagement Milestone

As a result of this significant update and the free weekend, Arc Raiders achieved a remarkable milestone, reaching a peak of 131,388 concurrent players on Steam within the first 24 hours of the event. According to data from SteamDB, this marks a six-month high in player engagement for the game.

Changes to Matchmaking

Despite the positive developments, the update comes with some controversial changes. Embark Studios has decided to remove the Solo vs. Squads option from the matchmaking settings. The company stated that this decision aims to encourage players to engage with more diverse matchmaking configurations, as the Solo vs. Squads format currently does not provide sufficient incentives. However, Embark plans to re-evaluate this game mode, leaving the door open for its potential return in an enhanced form in the future.

Further Information

For a comprehensive overview of the changes and updates, players can refer to the full update notes available on Embark’s official blog.