Embark Studios has revealed a comprehensive deep dive into Frozen Trail, releasing on October 8, 2026. The update takes players beyond the Rust Belt into sub-zero territory, headlined by an all-new Italian transit map, a massive mid-air operation vessel, an overhaul of late-game weapon modifications, and surface base-building.
New Playable Map: Pendola Pass
Celeste and Shani have tracked an anomalous signal across Toledo to Pendola Pass, an abandoned Exodus transport hub and old-world Italian alpine settlement.
- The Objective: A colossal ARC Emperor has crashed in the valley, locking away rare prototype tech. Raiders must infiltrate its hull while contending with valley flash-freeze weather conditions and disoriented ARC defenders.
- Key Landmarks: The Exodus transit hub features an observatory, buried subterranean train depots, a town square, and industrial remnants, prioritizing extreme verticality and interior clearance.
End-Game Airborne Encounter: The Frigate
ARC has dispatched one of its premier airborne capital ships, dubbed The Frigate, to patrol the downed Emperor.
- Vertical Infiltration: Players must find a way onboard and navigate narrow interior corridors hundreds of feet above ground.
- PvEvP Close Quarters: Squads must coordinate in tight airborne chokepoints while contesting opposing Raiders aiming for the exact same high-tier tech extraction.
New ARC Machine Threats
- Bully: An aggressive, machine-learned quad quadruped unit that charges down positions at high speed, punishing players caught outside hard cover.
- Skulker: An elusive stalker machine that tracks squads from the periphery of vision, ambushing with rapid flurries before disengaging back into the shadows.
- Hydra: A three-tier autonomous static turret stationed aboard The Frigate, fielding stacked weaponry capable of suppressing entire fireteams simultaneously.
"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."
Surface Progression: The Outpost & Amplified Weapons
- Raider Outposts: A surface extension to your subterranean Raider Den. Players can install custom room modules, place decorative furniture, and establish a permanent base of operations on the surface. As of right now, you will not be able to walk around in your Outpost.
- Research Workstations & Amplified Weapons: Late-game players can upgrade 15 existing weapons to a 5th Quality Tier. This unlocks branching modification paths that fundamentally alter weapon behavior—including automatic conversions for the Burletta, scoped setups for the Renegade, and an incendiary 64-round magazine configuration for the Rattler.
New Arsenal, Traversal Gadgets & Tools
- Stiletto Battle Rifle: An accessible, light-ammo semi-auto precision rifle serving as an early-game alternative to the Renegade.
- Bantam Revolver: A snub-nosed heavy-ammo sidearm featuring high-impact stopping power and dedicated hip-fire tuning.
- Grappling Hook: Lets Raiders climb vertical structures, rappel down sheer drop-offs, and swing across high gaps.
- Tether Systems:
- Tether Launcher: Cables two targets or anchor points together, rooting enemies or tying Raiders to patrolling ARC.
- Yank Grenade: Detonates to forcefully pull targets toward the blast radius, dragging Raiders from cover or pulling aerial ARC units to the ground.
- Codex Camera: A functional photo gadget featuring focal aperture, manual racking, zoom, and third-person selfie emotes with direct saving to the in-game Codex.
- Instruments & Stencils: Adds the Harmonica and Banjo, alongside custom Weapon Stencils to visually tag owned firearms.
Reward Pass System & Collector Set DLC
Frozen Trail permanently consolidates previous Raider Decks into the new Reward Pass ecosystem:
- Free Pass: Unlocks 5 outfits, 20 cosmetic items (furniture, charms, weapon attachments), and 200 Raider Tokens via in-game Feats.
- Premium Pass: Adds exclusive outfit toggles, unique colorways, hairstyles, weapon stencils, and 1,150 Raider Tokens.
- Legacy Pass: Free to all players; merges all legacy Raider Decks into one persistent menu so no previous progression is lost.
- Collector Set DLC: Includes Free + Premium Passes, the exclusive Renzo skin set, Dragon’s Breath stencil, Bob hairstyle, Banjo blueprint, and 2,400 Raider Tokens.
PGG Quick Take
- Who it’s for: Veteran squads hungry for complex endgame raids and build crafters wanting deep weapon customization.
- Key mechanic: Amplified Weapons give older gear relevant late-game viable roles, while the Grapple Hook and Yank Grenade completely disrupt traditional flat-ground cover combat.
- Bottom line: Frozen Trail delivers the systemic depth ARC Raiders needs to sustain long-term runs. Tune in to Embark’s Dev Q&A stream on Friday, September 25 at 6:00 PM CEST ahead of the October 8 launch.
Time Until The Update Drops
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