ARC Raiders Frozen Trail Overview: Pendola Pass, Outpost, Amplification
What the update changed
The Frozen Trail update (version 2.0) went live on October 8, 2026, with free play running through October 12. It brings a new map, a customizable base, a weapon upgrade system and three new enemies.
The essentials are the Pendola Pass map, the Outpost with its Research Workstation, Weapon Amplification for 15 weapons, two new guns (Stiletto and Bantam), the Bully, Skulker and Hydra enemies, and a set of movement gadgets. The skill tree was reworked too, and Reward Pass replaced Raider Decks.
Here is what to look for and where to begin, so your first raids are not wasted.
Pendola Pass: the new map beyond the Rust Belt
Pendola Pass sits past the mountain range around the Rust Belt. It is a frozen Italian settlement that once belonged to the Exodus transport network. The map mixes outdoor areas with underground ones, so fights often play out on several levels.
The map has four named zones:
Northern Tracks: the Cielo Sereno Observatory, the Deep Space Telescope and the Dispatch Tower.
Almatera Village: the Old Town and the fallen Emperor.
Freight Terminal: the Railyard and the Commissary Supermarket.
Southern Pass: a truck stop and an electrical substation.
The main goal of most runs is the fallen Emperor. You can walk inside the wreck, and the modules found there feed the new upgrades. ARC loot lies around the hull.
The weather is harsh. Flash Freeze sweeps across the map and makes exposed ground dangerous. Avalanche Shelters give cover, though other Raiders know about them too and often end up inside. For extraction there is the Ballistic Gondola, which fits three Raiders. Another map condition, Redirection, uses a Transmitter to divert Harvester Payloads.
Then there is the Frigate, an airborne ARC carrier you can board. It has a sabotage sequence, a Cargo route with containers, and a Hydra turret. Players describe it as almost an activity of its own inside the map, and a full squad is the sensible way to approach it.
Outpost and Weapon Amplification
The Outpost unlocks after you finish a new Project and extends the Raider Den. You grow it with modules. Furniture is unlocked with 100 Design items, and the first research objective requires a Camera.
The key piece is the Research Workstation. It arrives with the Outpost and opens Weapon Amplification. The requirements are Research Station level 4 and Gunsmith level 4, and the weapon itself must first reach its standard maximum tiers. A Crafting Station Upgrade comes in handy here, so start it early.
Amplification works as a fifth upgrade tier, but it is more than a stat bump. The choice is permanent: you cannot swap a perk later. Every perk needs a 5,000 RP research project plus materials such as Pneumatic Actuators and Pressure Regulators. Emperor Payloads supply part of those materials.
At launch 15 weapons support it: Anvil, Aphelion, Bettina, Burletta, Canto, Equalizer, Hairpin, Hullcracker, Il Toro, Jupiter, Kettle, Osprey, Rascal, Rattler and Renegade. In pre-launch showings the developers gave examples: the Burletta turning into a full-auto weapon that plays like an SMG, the Renegade gaining a sniper scope, and the Rattler getting incendiary rounds and a 64-round drum.
In practice, decide which weapon you actually bring to raids before you spend anything. A perk cannot be undone, so a wrong pick costs 5,000 RP and all the materials. If the gun is not in your stash yet, look at Weapon Blueprint options first.
New weapons and enemies
The Stiletto is a Light Ammo battle rifle. It works as a cheap early alternative to the Renegade: fire in measured shots at medium to long range, since tapping the trigger ruins accuracy. The developers say it is more effective against ARC than the Kettle while still usable against Raiders.
The Bantam is a compact Heavy Ammo revolver. It hits hard against both Raiders and ARC, and its distinct hip-fire suits close range. It takes over the hand-cannon role from the Anvil.
The three new enemies fight like this:
Enemy | How it fights |
|---|---|
Bully | Heavy four-legged machine that rushes you fast, with shotgun blasts and grenades |
Skulker | An ambusher that strikes quickly, then retreats and comes back |
Hydra | A three-section turret aboard the Frigate that can threaten several Raiders at once |
Do not try to out-wait a Bully: it wins on tempo, so keep cover close and carry enough damage. The Skulker makes you watch your back because it never stays put. The Hydra is the reason to board the Frigate with a team instead of alone.
Movement gadgets
The new gadgets are about movement and physics rather than raw damage, and they come in handy in the mountains.
Grappling Hook: reach heights, rappel down and swing across gaps.
Tether Launcher: connects two points with a tether, can trap enemies or attach a Raider to an ARC. It cannot be repaired for now.
Yank Grenade: pulls targets toward its detonation point.
The Snap Hook was nerfed alongside them, with shorter range and higher durability and power cost. If it was your go-to tool, expect to relearn your routes or move to the Grappling Hook.
Reward Pass, skills and other changes
Reward Pass replaces Raider Decks. Cred became Reward Points, and the first pass has 60 levels with Free and Premium tracks. Only one pass is active at a time, and old Raider Deck rewards sit in the Legacy Pass.
The Skill Tree got a notable rework. In the middle of each branch you pick one of two skills, and you can re-pick after a reset. At the end of a branch you take up to two of three. That changes how you spend points, so settle on a playstyle before you reset.
The game also gained a Camera with zoom, aperture, manual and auto focus, a selfie mode, custom poses and photos saved to the Codex. Two instruments joined the game, the harmonica and the banjo, with the banjo blueprint coming through the Collector Set DLC.
Where to start after the update
If you are coming back after a break, go in order. First finish the Project that unlocks the Outpost and get the Research Workstation. Then work through Quests, which give your first raids a clear goal, and keep an eye on Leveling for steady progress.
Watch your inventory space too. New materials, modules and furniture fill the stash quickly, so Stash Expansion pays off even before your first Amplification.
For early Pendola Pass runs, bring a Grappling Hook, a weapon you know well and a supply of healing. Board the Frigate only with a squad, and explore the Emperor when the map is relatively quiet. With that prep your losses stay lower, and you can start collecting Amplification materials right away.