❄️ NEW ARC RAIDERS COSMETICS DROP WITH COLD SNAP! But Is This Bug Fix a Total FLOP? ❄️
Raiders, brace for impact! The Rust Belt just got ICY with the Cold Snap update, unleashing SICK hockey-inspired Goalie outfits, gritty Gearshifter sets, and a free Raider Deck that’s got everyone hyped! 🏒💥 But hold up—while you’re flexing that Patchwork skin, a game-breaking Expedition bug is trapping players, and Embark’s latest patch IGNORED it! 😡 Will you score big with these cosmetics, or get wiped out by glitches? Click to dive into the drama, the swagger, and the truth behind this frosty update!
ARC Raiders, Embark Studios’ breakout extraction shooter, has kept players hooked since its October 2025 launch, blending tense PvPvE raids with a retro-futurist aesthetic. The Cold Snap update, released on December 16, 2025, marked the game’s second major content drop, transforming maps with snow-covered conditions, introducing new cosmetics, and tackling persistent bugs. With a free hockey-inspired Raider Deck, festive events, and store rotations, the update aims to keep the Rust Belt vibrant. However, a lingering Expedition bug has left some players frustrated, casting a shadow over the holiday cheer. Here’s a detailed look at the new cosmetics, bug fixes, and the community’s mixed response, based on recent updates and player feedback.
The Cold Snap Cosmetic Haul: Hockey Flair and Post-Apoc Swagger
The Cold Snap update delivers a slew of cosmetics that lean into ARC Raiders’ gritty, 70s-inspired art direction, offering players new ways to stand out in Speranza and topside raids. The centerpiece is the Goalie Raider Deck, a free, permanent addition launching December 26, 2025. This hockey-themed battle pass includes a Raider outfit with multiple color variants, a hockey stick Raider Tool, and cosmetics like emotes and trinkets. Unlike timed battle passes in other live-service games, the Goalie Deck lets players unlock rewards at their own pace using Creds earned through daily Feats, making it accessible for casual and hardcore raiders alike. Community posts on Reddit praise its “badass” aesthetic, with players eager to wield the hockey stick in raids.
The Flickering Flames Event, running from December 16, 2025, to January 13, 2026, adds another layer of cosmetic rewards. Players earn Merits through XP, unlocking 25 levels of gear, Raider Tokens, and visual customizations. High-XP actions—killing ARC enemies like Leapers or Bastions—accelerate progress, rewarding active players. The Candleberry Banquet Project complements this, tasking raiders with collecting Candleberries across five stages. Each stage unlocks cosmetics, Raider Tokens, and Merits, while adding festive scenes to Speranza’s banquet table. These events have been lauded for their immersion, with X posts calling the banquet “a lore-rich touch” that ties cosmetics to the game’s world.
The store rotation, introduced in patch 1.6.0 on December 11, 2025, brought the Gearshifter Set, featuring oily rags, wrench holsters, and grease-smeared helmets that scream post-apocalyptic mechanic. The Memorialist Backpack, engraved with tributes to fallen raiders, appeals to lore enthusiasts, while the Spit Emote adds a humorous taunt for pre-raid flexing. An Electrician Backpack, a free Nvidia tie-in, rounds out the drop. These cosmetics integrate subtle effects—Gearshifter’s oil splatters shift under fire, and Memorialist’s engravings glow under ARC lights—enhancing their appeal. X posts from @ARCRaidersGame hyped the Gearshifter Set, urging players to “race around the Rust Belt” in style.
The Expedition reset (December 17–23, 2025) offers exclusive cosmetics for players who wipe their progress: the Patchwork Raider outfit, Scrappy Janitor Cap, and Expeditions Indicator icon. However, Reddit threads criticize the outfit’s limited customization, with toggles only for goggles and headgear, calling it “a bummer” compared to more flexible sets. Some players feel the rewards don’t justify resetting blueprints and levels, with one Redditor asking, “Was it worth it?”
Bug Fixes: Polishing the Rust Belt
The Cold Snap update (patch 1.7.0) and prior patches (e.g., 1.6.0) addressed a range of bugs, improving gameplay, cosmetics, and immersion. Key fixes include:
Gameplay Improvements: Patch 1.7.0 fixed spawning logic that caused reconnecting players to appear near others, reducing ambush risks. Collision issues across Buried City, Dam Battlegrounds, and Stella Montis were resolved, preventing players from falling through terrain or getting stuck. A Raider Hatch slope bug, which blocked downed players from crawling to safety, was corrected, and an exploit allowing ammo-free energy weapon reloads was patched. Sticky throwables like Trigger ‘Nades now function correctly, and mines trigger as intended.
Cosmetic and UI Stability: A critical bug causing players to spawn without gear or in default customization was fixed, preserving loadouts. Raider Tool customization was added, letting players tweak their pickaxes or crowbars, and inventory tooltip flickering was stabilized. Texture and mesh quality issues, including depth-of-field scaling, were addressed for smoother visuals.
Audio Enhancements: Directional sound for ARC enemies was improved, aiding tactical play. The eerie “mom?” in Speranza’s cantina was removed, and main menu announcement volumes were tweaked. Text chat sounds were added for better communication.
Earlier Fixes (Patch 1.6.0): Wall-glitching exploits in Blue Gate and Spaceport, including a Stella Montis zipline bug, were eliminated, ensuring fair PvP. Security Locker spawns were made dynamic, balancing loot, and quest completion bugs (e.g., Greasing Her Palm) were fixed.
These fixes have been well-received, with X posts from @Aiekillu praising the “tonne” of quality-of-life improvements and “ninja-level” fairness in stealth runs. However, not all issues were addressed, leading to significant community backlash.
The Expedition Bug: A Community Flashpoint
The most glaring omission in Cold Snap’s patch notes is the Expedition bug, a server-connection issue that locked some players’ progression, preventing them from completing the reset during the December 17–23 window. The Expedition, an endgame mechanic allowing players to wipe their character for permanent skill points and cosmetics, is time-sensitive, and the bug left affected players unable to participate. A Vice report noted widespread frustration, with Reddit users slamming Embark for not addressing the glitch or communicating clearly. One player wrote, “I don’t even know if I should go for 5 million now or it’s just a waste of time.” The December 16 patch, released a day before the Expedition window opened, raised hopes for a fix, but its silence on the issue fueled outrage.
Embark acknowledged the bug indirectly, promising to monitor critical issues over their holiday break, but the lack of a concrete fix has left players feeling ignored. The community’s trust in Embark, already strained by cosmetic pricing debates, took another hit, with some calling the studio’s silence “unacceptable” for a game that sold 4 million copies in weeks.
Community Reaction and Cultural Impact
The Cold Snap cosmetics have sparked excitement, with Reddit and X posts raving about the Goalie Deck’s hockey swagger and Gearshifter’s gritty realism. However, the cosmetic system’s limitations—lack of mix-and-match options and high store prices ($10–12 per item)—draw criticism. Comparisons to The Finals, Embark’s earlier title, highlight ARC Raiders’ weaker customization, with Reddit users begging for “next-level” skins. November’s price cuts and refunds eased some concerns, but players still want more free options and flexibility.
Cosmetics are shaping gameplay meta, too. The free Ryder outfit’s black/orange variant has become a “shoot-first” signal for competitive players, creating a cultural dynamic where skins influence PvP decisions. This underscores ARC Raiders’ unique blend of style and strategy, even as players demand more variety.
Embark’s Holiday Break and Future Outlook
Embark announced Cold Snap as 2025’s final major update, with the studio taking a holiday break but monitoring critical issues like the Expedition bug. Weekly updates will shift to Tuesdays in 2026, alongside store rotations. The 2025 roadmap promises new maps, ARC threats, and cosmetics, building on Cold Snap’s success. With 700,000 concurrent players and 4 million copies sold, ARC Raiders remains a live-service juggernaut, but addressing bugs and cosmetic concerns will be key to sustaining momentum.
Conclusion
The Cold Snap update has invigorated ARC Raiders with stunning cosmetics like the Goalie Raider Deck and Gearshifter Set, immersive events like Flickering Flames, and critical bug fixes that polish gameplay. The free, permanent Raider Deck and accessible reward tracks cater to all players, while store rotations add premium flair. However, the unresolved Expedition bug has sparked justified frustration, with players feeling let down by Embark’s silence. As the studio heads into its holiday break, the community awaits fixes and more customizable cosmetics to match the game’s ambitious live-service vision. For now, Cold Snap keeps the Rust Belt alive with festive chills and stylish thrills, but Embark must act swiftly to restore full trust in 2026.
