Embark reveals all the details of ARC Raiders' next expansion, Frozen Trail
The timing of this expansion is not accidental. In its first year of life, the title has exceeded 16 million copies sold worldwide, and the Swedish studio intends to continue to expand the universe by offering us new ways to explore, fight and survive on the surface.
The heart of the update is of course the Pendulum Pass, a remote and hostile mountainous region that according to the developers represents the most ambitious map and the most challenging environment seen so far in the game. Compared to the areas already known, the new map focuses a lot on verticality, on an articulated terrain and on numerous interior spaces, as well as hiding several new points of interest: among these stands out the carcass of a giant Emperor crashed to the ground, which we can explore at our own risk.
To make everything more complicated there will be the dynamic weather of Flash Freeze, a wave of frost that can hit the map at any time and that will force us to find shelter before succumbing to the cold. When this happens, the Avalanche Shelters are activated, shelters that guarantee protection and also contain loot, but which for this very reason risk turning into a call for other Raiders willing to take advantage of it. There is also news on the extraction front, with the Ballistic Gondola: a very special method, to be requested and exploited quickly, capable of bringing a maximum of three Raiders to safety at a time.
The Pendulum Pass also exclusively hosts a new minor condition of the map, Redirection, thanks to which we will be able to divert the Harvester Payloads from the Collector and attract them to our position. However, getting our hands on this precious ARC payload will have a cost: the Transmitter will call both the opposing ARC and Raiders, forcing us to clear the area and defend it from both threats before we can collect the reward.
To populate the mountains there will then be three new ARC enemies, to which is added the Frigate, a huge flying carrier designed as a high-risk challenge even for veterans. The Bully is an unstoppable machine that prefers aggressive hit-and-run assaults, while the Skulker, fast and tactical, will keep us constantly on the rope. On board the Frigate we will find the Hydra, an ARC capable of targeting multiple players at the same time and regenerating.
Frozen Trail also intervenes in a profound way on progression. With the Outposts we will finally be able to settle outside of Hope, in personal spaces to be expanded over time, where we can build and upgrade workbenches, create objects and furnish the environment to our taste. The new Research Station, on the other hand, unlocks the Weapon Amplification, which will allow us to push weapons beyond the current limit through special game mechanics, complete with new dedicated skins.
Still on the subject of weapons, the Weapon Stencil debuts, a purely aesthetic system that changes their appearance without touching their stats. They are obtained in various ways and, once learned and consumed, we can permanently apply them to any compatible weapon. The arsenal is also expanded with new items, weapons and even musical instruments, including the Grappling Hook and the Camera gadget, which will allow us to take photographs in first person.
The new package also includes a revised quest system, with more articulated and complete missions and bonus XP for those who complete the optional objectives, and an updated skill tree with new skills and improvements to existing ones, for more incisive choices in shaping our style of play. With the update, the sixth season of the Trials will also kick off, with a new load of challenges.
Finally, the new Frozen Trail-themed Reward Pass arrives, divided into 60 levels and two routes. The Free Pass is accessible to all owners of the base game, while the Premium Pass is unlocked in the in-game store at the price of 1,150 Raider Tokens or through the Frozen Trail Collector Set, and adds 50 extra rewards, including exclusive cosmetic items and another 1,150 Raider Tokens; adding the two paths together, the Raider Tokens that can be obtained by completing the pass thus rise to 1,350. The Collector Set will be available as DLC in conjunction with the update on October 8: in addition to unlocking the Premium Track, it includes the Renzo outfit, the Dragon's Breath Weapon Stencil, the Bob hairstyle and 2,400 Raider Tokens.
To get an idea of what awaits us in the snows of the Penndola Pass, we leave you with the new in-depth video dedicated to Frozen Trail. Enjoy the viewing!