Frozen Trail

An unprecedented disruption has drawn dangers to the Rust Belt unlike anything we’ve seen before. Raiders forge a way to the icy region of Pendola Pass in a last-ditch attempt to get the Rust Belt out of ARC’s line of fire.

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. Icy mountain air preserves Pendola Pass in its eerie grasp. 

Pendola Pass is our most complex map to date, with a strong focus on vertical terrain and dynamic encounters such as the new Flash Freeze weather condition. Points of interest include a supermarket, town square, observatory, and buried train depot. The map is designed to be a mix of challenging open spaces and densely structured buildings with multiple points of entry.

Above all else lies the reason Raiders have been called to Pendola Pass - an ARC Emperor has fallen. Rare technology lies within for bold Raiders clever enough to find a way inside. 

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. After finding a way to get on board the colossal airborne carrier, you’ll need to navigate its internal passageways, unlock paths, and defend yourself against ARC new and old. It’s designed as a very high-risk, high-reward encounter with surprises in store for even the most seasoned Raiders. For that reason, we’re going to leave things here and not spoil the experience!

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.

We wanted to systemically change how you interact with combat in the late game. Frozen Trail introduces an upgrade system called Weapon Amplification which totally reimagines some of the guns you’re already used to. 

Using the new Research Workstation in your Raider Outpost, you’ll be able to 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 drum 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 flair 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. 

Reward Passes are a natural evolution of Raider Decks, with some added benefits. They’re a progression mechanic that allows players to complete Feats to unlock unique and useful rewards. 

Two Reward Passes will release with the Frozen Trail update.

The Frozen Trail Reward Pass contains 60 levels to progress, with both a Free and Premium option. 

• Free Pass - This track includes all the new base outfits, plus new cosmetic items, weapons, gadgets, items, and a total of up to 200 Raider Tokens.

• Premium Pass - This offers a little bit extra. With this option, players will unlock all the premium toggles, modifications, and colorways for the new outfits. It also contains exclusive legendary weapon stencils, hairstyles, and a total of up to 1,150 Raider Tokens when completed. Two things to note: the Premium Pass doesn’t contain items that benefit gameplay (like weapons or gadgets) like the Free Pass does. Also, the Premium Pass can be obtained for 1,150 Raider Tokens, so completing it means an opportunity to earn back the currency it takes to obtain it. 

The Legacy Reward Pass combines all of the cosmetic rewards and Raider Tokens in Raider Decks into a single Free Pass. If you earned these in the past, they’ll be kept and remain unlocked in the Legacy Reward Pass. Progressing the Legacy Reward Pass will otherwise earn all the rewards you weren’t able to get your hands on in the old Raider Deck system. 

For those Raiders that want the full Frozen Trail experience, the Collector Set DLC includes a new cosmetic set, the Renzo, Dragon’s Breath Weapon Stencil, Bob Hair Style, and 2,400 Raider Tokens. It also grants access to the Frozen Trail Premium Reward Pass! 

It also comes with an exclusive Retro Sofa for your Raider Outpost and is the only way to get a blueprint for the new Banjo musical instrument.

Check out the Collector Set DLC on Steam now, and see the available cosmetics and rewards for yourself!

There’s even more you’ll discover in Frozen Trail that we haven’t mentioned here, including new questlines and improvements, a Skill Tree rework including new and improved skills, and a new Map Condition called Redirection. 

Gear up. Dress warm. See you Topside!

The ARC Raiders Team