Thursday, 8 October 2026

ARC Raiders 2.0 forces teams to board a massive flying frigate

The 2.0 patch, Frozen Trail, adds Pendola Pass, a snowy mountain map, plus a giant Frigate and more, changing how players raid together.

Frozen Trail, related to: ARC Raiders 2.0 forces teams to board a massive flying frigate
Photo: w_lemay / CC BY-SA 2.0 (modified)

The short version

  • The big 2.0 update for ARC Raiders adds Pendola Pass, a snowy mountain map with a fallen Emperor ARC machine.
  • A new enemy roster includes Bully, Skulker, and Hydra, plus two new weapons and traversal tools like grappling hooks and tethers.
  • Players can board and explore a massive enemy Frigate, a flying fortress that reshapes how teams tackle the raid.
  • The update revamps progression and expands outposts and amplified weapons to deepen endgame looping.
Quick read · 1 min

ARC Raiders’ 2.0 update, Frozen Trail, brings Pendola Pass, a snowy new map, and a massive flying Frigate raid. New enemies like Bully and Skulker, plus two fresh weapons and grappling hooks, shift the game toward bigger, team-focused encounters.

Players can explore the Frigate, which requires teamwork to reach the top and survive the fight. A revamped progression system and expanded outposts offer deeper customization and longer play cycles.

For everyday players, the update means more ways to raid with friends and a deeper endgame grind. Look for balance tweaks after launch as players reveal the best loadouts and routes.

ARC Raiders just got its biggest update since launch. The studio released the 2.0 patch, called Frozen Trail, which swaps in a new snowy map and a towering new mechanism that redefines how players raid the ARC network. The long-teased Pendola Pass sits high in a mountain valley, while a massive flying fortress called the Frigate looms above the skyline. If you’ve stuck with the game, this patch is the kind of content bump that can extend your play beyond the initial raids altogether.

The centerpiece is Pendola Pass, a snow-covered Italian village and transport hub. It’s not just a pretty backdrop; the map is built around a fallen Emperor ARC machine that dominates the terrain and rewards careful positioning, smart pathing, and team coordination. The patch notes and early hands-on impressions describe new routes, environmental hazards, and the sense that you’re navigating a scene that reacts to your choices as you push deeper into the region.

The studio isn’t stopping there. The Frigate, an enormous ARC vessel that appears above the map, serves as a multi-stage encounter you can actually board. Inside, players can explore and unlock paths, all while competing with opposing Raiders who similarly want the platform for themselves. The Frigate does more than look dramatic; it’s designed to force teams to work together to survive the ascent and the enemy pressure that follows. If you’re used to isolated skirmishes, this is a notable shift toward large-scale, high-stakes coordination in a single raid moment.

01

New enemies and tools you’ll meet in Frozen Trail

The update adds several fresh adversaries to the mix. Bully is described as an aggressive machine that searches for your position and hits with a shotgun-like cannon when it finds you. Skulker, a smaller foe, keeps to the edges and remains irritating in its own way by forcing you to keep your guard up as you move through a map. Hydra is also mentioned as part of the new enemy roster, though specifics about its behavior aren’t fully spelled out in early impressions. To counter these threats, players gain two new weapons and new traversal options like grappling hooks and tethers, which can dramatically change how you traverse vertical spaces and fight on the Frigate’s girders and hallways.

Snow-covered mountain village with a large fallen machine
02

Progression and progression systems get a refresh

Along with new maps and enemies, Frozen Trail brings a revamped progression system and expanded outposts. The patch is described as ARC Raiders’ biggest update since launch, with more ways to earn and customize your build, plus amplified weapons that push you toward more aggressive playstyles. The changes aren’t just cosmetic; they’re meant to deepen the loop so you have reasons to replay Pendola Pass and the Frigate multiple times in mixed-team sessions.

03

What this means for everyday players

If you’re a casual raider, you’ll likely notice Pendola Pass as a new reason to log in and try a fresh route with friends. The Frigate adds a new battlefield dynamic, boarding, platforming, and coordinating with teammates in a high-altitude fight, that shifts the mood from pure arena-style fights to a shared, collaborative challenge. For heavier players who love meta builds, the expanded progression and amplified weapons give you more levers to pull when you craft your loadout for specific encounters. In short: more variety, more risk, and more teamwork where it actually matters.

Enormous flying ARC vessel hovering over a mountain
04

What happens next

The studio has framed Frozen Trail as the game’s biggest update since launch, so expect ongoing tweaks in the weeks after release as players push the new content to its limits. If you’re curious about the best strategies, keep an eye on how teams adapt to the Frigate and how the new enemies’ patterns emerge within Pendola Pass. Routine balance tweaks are typical after launch, so plan for a few patches that could shift weapon viability and enemy spawns as players discover optimal routes and tactics.

05

Quick answers

What’s new in ARC Raiders 2.0?

The update adds a snowy map called Pendola Pass, a large flying Frigate raid, new enemies (Bully, Skulker, Hydra), two new weapons, and a refreshed progression system with expanded outposts.

Is this a must-play for current players?

If you’ve been enjoying ARC Raiders, Frozen Trail adds meaningful content that reshapes raids and team play, making it worth returning for the new challenges and rewards.

End of article.

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