Arc Raiders’ Cold Snap update went live on December 16, 2025. Embark’s official announcement and Patch Notes 1.7.0 give the date, but neither publishes an exact release hour or timezone. The update introduced the Cold Snap winter map condition, the Flickering Flames event, new quests and items, and a set of balance changes and fixes.
When did Arc Raiders Cold Snap release?
Embark dated Patch Notes 1.7.0 December 16, 2025, and its December 15 announcement said Cold Snap and Flickering Flames would begin the following day. The official pages do not state a launch time or timezone, so an exact hour cannot be confirmed from them.
What did the December 16 update add?
Cold Snap map condition
The winter condition affected Blue Gate, the abandoned spaceport, and the Red Lakes. Snow and blizzards brought environmental hazards: frozen water made footing unstable, visibility was impaired, and exposure to frostbite made time outdoors dangerous. Embark warned that a Raider could be cut down in minutes without shelter or healing.
Flickering Flames event
Flickering Flames ran from December 16, 2025, through January 13, 2026. Players could collect Candleberries and special items to redeem for rewards, including Raider Tokens, new items, rare utility items, weapons, cosmetics, and Merits.
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Goalie Raider Deck
The announcement scheduled the free, permanent Goalie Raider Deck for December 26, 2025. It was described as the second free permanent Raider Deck, with unlocks earned through Cred. Its featured outfit included an in-game hockey-stick Raider Tool; this was game content, not a physical merchandise offer.
Other new content
Patch 1.7.0 also listed new quests and items, festive items, and customization for Raider Tools.
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Patch 1.7.0: the important gameplay changes
Quality-of-life and map changes
- A skill-tree reset function was added.
- An Aim Down Sights toggle was added.
- The interface began displaying the Cred soft cap.
- The Aphelion blueprint drop was moved from the Matriarch to Stella Montis.
- Map collision issues were fixed, and Stella Montis spawn-distance checks were adjusted.
Weapon and enemy balance
The notes adjusted Bettina durability, magazine size, and reload, and increased the Rattler magazine size. Shredder changes covered knockback, movement, responsiveness, health, navigation, combat entry, and destructible parts.
Embark said the Bettina changes were intended to make the weapon less dependent on a secondary and more capable in PvP without pushing it too far. The notes also said it remained the highest-performing PvE weapon at its rarity, excluding the Hullcracker; that is the developer’s stated assessment, not an independently verified statistic.
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Broader fixes
The 1.7.0 notes also list fixes and adjustments involving achievements, animation, ARC enemies, audio, maps, movement, the user interface, consoles, customization, end-of-round feedback, and progression. For the complete item-by-item list and exact weapon values, consult the official Patch Notes 1.7.0.
What changed in the December 18 hotfix?
Embark’s Hotfix 1.7.2 announcement said the update was going live on all platforms and asked players to restart their client. It re-enabled Hidden Bunker and slightly lowered blueprint drop rates, while keeping them higher overall than before 1.7.0. It also fixed an interaction failure caused by repeated input under a poor connection, added missing indoor volumes to prevent Cold Snap damage inside, updated an AMD GPU driver warning, and fixed the Unexpected Initiative quest item-spawn issue.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did Cold Snap return after the December event?
Yes. The February 10, 2026, Shared Watch notes said Cold Snap had returned to the outdoor map-condition rotation. That later appearance was separate from the December launch and event window: its notes mention frostbite risk, increased loot value, Candleberries available outside an event, and collectible throwable snowballs.
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