Frozen Trail First Look: Content highlights from October 8
September 23, 2026
Raiders,
The Frozen Trail Update is just around the corner. Are you ready to gear up and face whatever is waiting for us beyond the Rust Belt?
Ahead of October 8, we wanted to give you a preview of what’s in store. Braving the new frontier will challenge you to your extremes, but you’ll also be offered opportunities to develop your capabilities so you’re prepared for the danger.
Here’s a glimpse of the content we have in store for Frozen Trail.
With your help, Celeste and Shani have triangulated the source of the strange signal that’s been ringing across Toledo. All signs point toward an old Italian village and Exodus transport hub called Pendola Pass.
Beyond the peaks that envelope the Rust Belt, icy air preserves Pendola Pass in its eerie grasp. Classic signs of an old-world civilization punctuate the narrow stretch: a supermarket, and a lifeless town square. Signs of the Exodus Project loom large: the observatory and buried train depot that once served as a major transit hub.
But dominating everything else lies the reason Raiders are called to Pendola Pass - one of the Emperors has fallen. Rare technology lies within, and your job is simple - get there, and find a way inside.
Between a scrambled ARC response and brutal flash freezes that cut through the valley, the adventure will be dangerous. Are you sure you’re ready for what lies beyond the Rust Belt?
A fallen Emperor is unprecedented, and ARC are quick to react. They’re sending one of their largest vessels to patrol the area - Raiders have started calling it the Frigate.
The Frigate presents a substantial challenge to highly skilled Raiders who, despite the danger, see opportunity within. After finding a way to get on board, you’ll need to navigate its internal passageways, unlock paths, and defend yourself against ARC new and old.
But you won’t be alone. Other Raiders have their eyes on the prize, and you’ll be forced to collaborate or cut through them in order to pass. The scale of the challenge may demand a different approach to one you're used to - when you’re caught in close quarters hundreds of feet in the air, you’ll have to find a suitable strategy, one way or the other.
Bully by name, bully by nature: our new machine-learned enemy is an oppressive, aggressive beast that cedes no ground as it gallops upon your position and fights with a host of lethal attacks. Use cover, time your response, and hit your shots; the Bully is quick on its feet and unhinged in its quest.
In contrast to the Bully, the Skulker is opportunistic, lying in wait and skirting the edges of your vision to get the drop and unleash a flurry of blows. This is one you’ll want to keep an eye on as a momentary distraction will see it retreat out of sight - the next time you see it, you’ll be feeling it too.
This enemy may not traverse, but it sure does move. Split into three stacked and autonomous portions, the Hydra is a turret that can handle entire squads with its triple-threat of weaponry. Found upon the Frigate, the Hydra will require a tactical approach in which Raiders divert attention, find cover quickly, and attack rapidly when the moment arises.
Celeste is offering Raiders who heed her call to explore Pendola Pass a home away from home: the Outpost. Nestled between the Rust Belt and the perilous mountain range, the Outpost is the first step to reclaiming parts of the surface.
Customize your new home with different modules and embellish the interiors with furniture. Investigate new elements of the world using the Research Workstation which will allow you to access higher levels of weapon customization and modding, preparing you for the journey beyond the mountain.
The Outpost is the start of a feature we hope to develop much further, eventually giving players a deeply personal space that allows them to become the Raider they want to be.
New weapons are great, and Frozen Trail certainly introduces fresh guns for your stash, but we wanted to systemically change how you interact with combat in the late game. We know that highly-skilled Raiders are loyal to their favorite weapons, but that means others barely get used - that’s why we’ve been building an upgrade system that totally reimagines some of the guns you’re already used to.
Using the fully-upgraded Research Workstation in your Outpost, Raiders will have the opportunity to access a fifth quality level for a range of guns. This level lets you unlock a branching path of abilities and enhancements to your weapons that can completely change their behavior; imagine a fully-automatic Burletta, a Renegade with a scope, or a Rattler with incendiary bullets and a 64 bullet magazine.
The hope is that this feature allows late-game players to reinvent their arsenal and personalize their weapons with high-tier upgrades that set them apart from the crowd. The feature is rolling out to 15 of our weapons, with more planned for the future.
The Stiletto is a light-ammo battle rifle that fits in as an early-game alternative to the Renegade. Cheap to craft and easy to wield, it’s the perfect choice for Raiders with a steady shot looking to attack from distance. Fire rate can be fast, but button mashing will sacrifice accuracy - keep a cool head and hit your shots.
The Bantam is a snub-nosed revolver that uses heavy ammo to punch a hole straight through your adversaries. Effective against ARC and Raiders, the Bantam comes with a unique hip-fire capability to help you live out the cowboy fantasy… even if you’ve got frozen fingers.
It’s important for us to focus on gadgets and items that offer new ways to play and fresh modes of traversal. That’s where the Grapple Hook comes in, letting you climb hard to reach spots, abseil off buildings, and swing over large gaps. Raiders who get creative will find themselves able to navigate the terrain in totally new ways.
As part of our larger system of tethers and constraints, we’ve built two new gadgets that let you trip up your enemies. The Tether Launcher allows you to connect two separate points with a wire, rooting them in place for easy pickings or even attaching Raiders to ARC and watching as they’re dragged away. The Yank Grenade works on the same principle, but when it explodes, it pulls a nearby target with a violent force. This is perfect for smashing flying ARC to the ground or pulling other Raiders out of cover.
The Rust Belt is home to many DIY photographers and Topside journalists. Using the humble Binoculars, we’ve seen beautiful pictures from your Raids - that’s why we’re introducing a fully-functioning camera gadget. This launches with a range of features including zoom, aperture, manual and automatic focus racking, and even a selfie mode with a range of custom emotes. Pictures will save to your Codex, letting you relive your most triumphant moments from the safety of your home.
Two new instruments can be heard Topside this October, the Harmonica, and the Banjo (Blueprint offered in the Collector Set DLC). Bring the sounds of southern swamps to the Rust Belt this fall - It’s time to get the band back together!
Re-skin your weapon with a pinch of Raider flare using the new Weapon Stencils coming in the Frozen Trail update! Leave enemies in no doubt who shot them, but beware - Raiders who best you will be more than happy to take your personalized weapon for themselves.
The Frozen Trail update also launches with a new progression mechanic, the Reward Pass. These passes are an evolution of the Raider Decks, allowing you to try out all of the exciting new items and content from the update.
- The Free Pass offers a series of rewards unlocked by earning XP, such as 200 Raider Tokens, five new outfits, new gameplay items, as well as 20 cosmetic items including Scrappy Outfits, Furniture, Charms, Attachments, and Emotes.
- The Premium Pass is designed for Raiders who want to get even more out of the update: this track includes premium toggles for all the outfits, exclusive colorways, weapon stencils, hairstyles, and 1,150 Raider Tokens.
- The Legacy Pass is free for all Raiders and combines all our existing Raider Decks, so you won’t lose any existing progress and can still work your way through those rewards.
For those Raiders that want the full Frozen Trail experience, the Collector Set DLC offers all both the free and premium Reward Pass tracks, as well as a new cosmetic set, the Renzo, Dragon’s Breath Weapon Stencil, Bob Hair Style, and 2,400 Raider Tokens.
Join us on October 8 for all this, and more, including new questlines and improvements, a Skill Tree rework including new and improved skills, and a new Map Condition - we’re excited to welcome you to the new frontier.
On Friday, September 25, 6pm CEST, we will host a dev Q&A livestream event about the Frozen Trail update. Join us live and submit questions about the First Look event!
Gear up. Dress warm. See you Topside.
The ARC Raiders Team
