Arc Raiders had an incredible first two months after its October 2025 launch, quickly becoming one of the biggest multiplayer hits of the year. With the 2025 roadmap fully delivered through Northline and Cold Snap, players are now looking ahead to what 2026 will bring.
Embark Studios hasn't released an official 2026 roadmap yet, but the executive producer has confirmed the team is "ramping up" content production rather than scaling back. This page covers everything confirmed so far, what's likely coming based on established patterns, and community feedback that Embark may address throughout the year.
We'll keep this article updated as Embark reveals more about Arc Raiders in 2026.
Roadmap Announcement Timing
Embark released the original 2025 roadmap just one day after Arc Raiders launched on October 30th. Players are expecting a similar turnaround for the 2026 announcement.
The most likely timing is late January 2026, alongside the first major content updates of the new year. Embark may also tie the announcement to the next Expedition window opening on February 22nd.
Confirmed Content for 2026
Embark has officially confirmed several content categories for the year:
New Map Conditions will expand on the system introduced with Cold Snap's Snowfall modifier. These may follow a seasonal pattern, with environmental effects changing how players approach each raid.
New Feats and Trials will give endgame players more challenges to pursue.
Cosmetic Content includes seasonal releases and special paid options through the Raider Deck system. Premium Raider Decks will be cosmetics-only with no pay-to-win mechanics.
Quality of Life Updates and Balance Changes will continue throughout the year.
Beyond these specifics, Embark stated they plan to "expand the world, introduce new ARC threats, and adding many other new and exciting ways to play." This points toward new maps, enemy types, weapons, and potentially new modes in development.
Expedition Schedule for 2026
The Expedition system serves as Arc Raiders' seasonal reset mechanic and provides a framework for when major content will drop.
| Expedition | Window Opens | Expected Content |
|---|---|---|
| Expedition 2 | February 22, 2026 | First major 2026 update |
| Expedition 3 | Late April 2026 (estimated) | TBA |
| Expedition 4 | Summer 2026 (estimated) | TBA |
Embark has set the cycle at 62 days between Expeditions. The first Expedition window ran 5 days (December 17-22), though the second window may extend to 7-8 days based on the adjusted cycle.
If Embark maintains an 8-10 week cadence, players can expect roughly 5-6 Expeditions throughout 2026, each bringing major content updates.
Expected Content Based on 2025 Patterns
The Northline and Cold Snap updates established clear patterns for Arc Raiders' post-launch support. Here's what players can reasonably expect in 2026:
New Maps (Estimated: 2-3 in 2026)
Embark has released approximately one new map per major update, arriving every 6-8 weeks. Stella Montis launched with Northline as the game's fifth map, featuring unique environmental design, distinct loot locations, and three associated quests. If this pattern holds, new maps could arrive around February, April, and summer.
New ARC Enemies (Estimated: ~12 in 2026)
Northline introduced two new ARC machines: the Matriarch (large and powerful with unique abilities) and the Shredder (fast and aggressive, punishing bad positioning). Both require distinct tactics to defeat. Maintaining this rate would mean around a dozen new enemy types throughout the year.
New Weapons and Equipment
Northline brought the Aphelion legendary battle rifle alongside additional utility items. Multiple new weapons, equipment pieces, grenades, and consumables are expected throughout 2026.
Community Events
The Flickering Flames event accompanied Cold Snap with an event reward track and exclusive cosmetics. Similar events will likely accompany future major updates.
Raider Decks
The first Raider Deck launched with Cold Snap. Several more are expected in 2026, including the first Premium option.
Datamined Content
Data mining has revealed a "Toxic Swamp" event or map modifier in development. Based on how Cold Snap works (requiring players to seek warmth inside buildings or slide across frozen lakes), Toxic Swamp could involve similar environmental hazards forcing players to adapt their approach. Release timing hasn't been confirmed, but a spring update is possible.
Community Feedback Embark May Address
The Arc Raiders community has raised several concerns that Embark may tackle in 2026 updates:
Expedition System Overhaul
The first Expedition required 5 million stash value to earn 5 bonus Skill Points, generating major backlash. Players reported this encouraged boring gameplay: farming optimal loot spots, extracting immediately, avoiding good gear, and skipping PvP entirely. Changes are widely anticipated for future Expeditions.
Trials System Improvements
Solo players are at a significant disadvantage in the current Trials system. Trio teams can split up and cover multiple objectives simultaneously while competing against solos in the same 100-person divisions. Community requests include separate solo/duo/trio categories and better event timers (Hidden Bunker availability at 11:00 AM and 2:00 AM doesn't work for many schedules).
Matchmaking Adjustments
Part of the community believes an "aggression matchmaking" system places non-aggressive players in passive lobbies. Players have requested that PvP-heavy lobbies offer better rewards to balance the increased risk.
Weapon Balance
Purple and expensive weapons don't provide enough value compared to gray weapons like the Pharaoh, Kettle, and Stitcher, which perform extremely well for their cost. The Bettina recently received a durability burn adjustment, but players want broader rebalancing across weapon tiers.
Quality of Life Requests
Other popular requests include: the option to queue only into fresh lobbies (at the cost of longer wait times), and cosmetic modularity allowing players to mix and match outfit pieces.
Changes from the First Expedition
The first Expedition revealed several changes players should know about:
Workshop Stations Reset: Despite early documentation suggesting workshop stations would carry over, they now reset with each Expedition. Players need to rebuild their refinery, explosive station, and medical station after each reset.
Trials Demotion: Rather than resetting to zero, the Trials system demotes players by two ranks. A player ending in Daredevil II starts the new season in Wildcard III.
Cantina Legend: The requirement changed to the top 1,000 players in Hotshot rank.
What We're Watching For
As 2026 progresses, key things to watch include:
- Official 2026 roadmap announcement (expected late January or February)
- Changes to the Expedition stash value requirement
- Trials system adjustments for solo players
- New map reveals tied to Expedition milestones
- Premium Raider Deck launch and pricing
With Embark's stated commitment to ramping up content production, 2026 has the potential to significantly expand Arc Raiders. Check back as we update this page with new announcements throughout the year.
